Our Research Achievements

Interested in finding out more about Our Achievements? Please email us at contact@australianhealthyageing.org

The Australian Healthy Ageing Organisation supports various areas of research including how quality of life can be improved as we age, how to prevent chronic illness, and how to increase the awareness of early life choices that impact on health in later life.

AHAO supports research conducted by:

Research students at the University of Melbourne
Various healthy ageing research academics
The Healthy Ageing Program (HAP) at the University of Melbourne

AHAO has supported the following research projects and presentations:

AHAO supports the AgeHAPPY Study

Mid-life predictors of late-life depressive symptoms

Katherine E. Campbell, Alexandra Gorelik, Cassandra E. Szoeke, & Lorraine Dennerstein. (2020). Mid-life predictors of late-life depressive symptoms; determining risk factors spanning two decades in the Women’s Heathy Ageing Project. Women’s Midlife Health, 6(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40695-020-00050-3

Late life depression is becoming increasingly common among elderly women. While many studies focus on late life predictors of depressive symptoms, little has been done to investigate mid-life predictors that contribute to late life depression. A study by the Women’s Healthy Aging Project spanning two decades provides an evidence that mid-life predictors such as low levels of positive mood, anxiety and bothersome symptoms are leading factors for late life depression. While high levels of positive mood during mid-life provide a protective measure against depression in elderly women. More research needs to be done in order to better understand these mid-life factors that lead to late life depression.

The Mediterranean dietary pattern and depression risk

Altun, A., Brown, H., Szoeke, C., & Goodwill, A. M. (2019). The Mediterranean dietary pattern and depression risk: A systematic review. Neurology, Psychiatry and Brain Research, 33, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.npbr.2019.05.007

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Depression has become a major global concern affecting over 300 million people worldwide. While antidepressants are used as the first line of treatment in many cases, the crucial role diet plays in reducing depressive symptoms is not being given enough attention. This systematic review examines the relationship between diet, in particular the Mediterranean diet, and its effect on reducing the risk of depression. The review examines a wide range of studies including longitudinal and cross-sectional studies and concludes that the Mediterranean diet provides an alternative treatment for the reduction of depressive symptoms. The focus on more studies and clinical trials investigating the correlation between diet in depression will give us a better understanding of the role the Mediterranean Diet plays in terms of reducing the risk of depression.

Diet and biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease

Hill, E., Goodwill, A. M., Gorelik, A., & Szoeke, C. (2019). Diet and biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurobiology of Aging, 76, 45–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.12.008

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the leading cause of dementia, has become a global health concern affecting millions of people worldwide. This systematic review explores the relationship between diet and the prevention of AD in late life. Adhering to a healthy dietary pattern which includes a high intake of “fruits, vegetables, wholegrain, oily fish and low-fat dairy” results in a reduced risk of AD biomarker development. Furthermore, the study highlights that the Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with the prevention of AD in late life as it is considered an “AD-protective” diet. While AD continues to be a global burden, more research and clinical trials are required in order to get a better insight into the benefits of diet, especially the Mediterranean diet, regarding the development and prevention of AD.

Dietary patterns and β-amyloid deposition in aging Australian women

Hill, E., Clifton, P., Goodwill, A. M., Dennerstein, L., Campbell, S., & Szoeke, C. (2018). Dietary patterns and β-amyloid deposition in aging Australian women. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, 4, 535–541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trci.2018.09.007

Association between dietary patterns and Beta-amyloid (Aβ) disposition has been an area of research for different cohorts of participants. However, very little has been done to identify the correlation between diet and Aβ disposition in women, given that women are more likely to suffer of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Beta-amyloid (Aβ) is known to be the main component of amyloid deposits that are formed in the brain as a result of AD. This study provides a systematic review exploring the relationship between four dietary patterns (high fat, Mediterranean, junk food and low fat) and Aβ disposition in women. Cross-sectional studies have indicated that adhering to junk food is a predictor of Aβ disposition. While adhering to high-fat high-sugar diet is associated with increased risk of AD disease. It was also noted that adhering to a Mediterranean dietary pattern reduces AD biomarkers development while at the same time reduces cognitive decline in women. Therefore, diet is considered as a modifiable risk factor that has the potential to reduce AD burden within aging women.

The ongoing presence of modifiable risk factors for disease in women

Szoeke, C., Dang, C., Lehert, P., Hickey, M., Morris, E., Dennerstein, L, & Campbell, S. (2017). Unhealthy habits persist: The ongoing presence of modifiable risk factors for disease in women. PLoS ONE, 12(4), e0173603. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173603

Vascular disease is one of the leading causes of death for women. However, little research has been done to identify modifiable risk factors within aging women in order to decrease the prevalence of vascular disease globally. This cross-sectional study, conducted by the Women’s Healthy Aging Project, explores risk factors, that, if targeted, can reduce the risk of dementia and vascular disease within Australian women. Australian women continue to show low rates of physical activity as well as low intake of fruits and vegetables. A further analysis indicated that low rates of physical activity are present at a greater percentage within individuals with a high BMI (obese or extremely obese). While, on the other hand, low intake of fruits and vegetables is seemingly a more prevalent issue within younger age groups. This study is supported by a larger body of research across the UK and the USA that suggests adhering to a healthy lifestyle has the potential to reduce the risk of vascular disease within women. This study also indicates that risk factors such as low rates of physical activity, high BMI and low intake of fruits and vegetables are likely to co-occur meaning that targeting one of these factors can influence and reduce the prevalence of others.

A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

Nichols, E., Szoeke, C. E. I., Vollset, S. E., Abbasi, N., Abd-Allah, F., Abdela, J., Aichour, M. T. E., Akinyemi, R. O., Alahdab, F., Asgedom, S. W., Awasthi, A., Barker-Collo, S. L., Baune, B. T., Bejot, Y., Belachew, A. B., Bennett, D. A., Bijani, B. B. A., Bin Sayeed, M. S., Brayne, C., … Murray, C. J. L. (2019). Global, regional, and national burden of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. Lancet Neurology, 18(1), 88–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(18)30403-4

Summary: Lancet Neurol 2019; 18: 88–106

As we progress through the twenty-first century, dementia continues to be a major health concern worldwide with 43.8 million people living with dementia in 2016. On top of that, dementia is the fifth-largest cause of death resulting in 2.4 million casualties globally (in 2016). According to the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD), modifiable risk factors that that are linked to dementia and AD are: high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, diabetes, smoking and high intake of sugar-sweetened beverages. In 2016, a GBD study has estimated that 6.4 million out of 28.8 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) is linked to modifiable risk factors. While the world’s aging population continues to grow, the number of people living with dementia in 2050 is expected to climb up to a 100 million. This highlights the need to further explore the extent of which modifiable risk factors are able to reduce cases of dementia worldwide and the need provide support for healthcare workers in order to combat this global burden

Longitudinal nutritional changes in aging Australian women

Hill, E., Hodge, A., Clifton, P., Shivappa, N., Hebert, J. R., Dennerstein, L., Campbell, S., & Szoeke, C. (2019). Longitudinal nutritional changes in aging Australian women. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 28(1), 139–149. https://doi.org/10.6133/apjcn.201903_28(1).0019

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Dietry patterns of aging women change overtime due to a variety factors. This article investigates the longitudinal study conducted by the Women’s Healthy Aging Project between 1995 and 2011-2012 that aims to explore the changes in dietray patterns of aging Australian women from metropolitan Melbourne. A trend was seen where energy intake and carbohydrates intake reduced overtime while an increase in fat intake was observed. The number of participants who are overweight or obese increased overtime while adherence to Mediterranean diet decreased indicating that more participants were tending to less healthy dietry patterns. Marital status was also observed to influence adherence to healthy dietary patterns, where widowed partners where less likely to eat nutritional food.

The impact of red and processed meat consumption on cardiovascular disease risk in women

Bovalino, S., Charleson, G., & Szoeke, C. (2016). The impact of red and processed meat consumption on cardiovascular disease risk in women. Nutrition, 32(3), 349–354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2015.09.015

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for Australian women. One of the main modifiable risk factors of CVD is diet, in particular the consumption of red meat and processed meat. This paper analyses two studies, a large cohort internet survey of the Healthy Aging Project and a smaller more comprehensive study of the Women’s Heathy Aging Project (WHAP). The internet-based survey supports the existing conclusions that consumption of red meat and processed meat increases the risk of CVD in women. While the WHAP study provides a more detailed outcome indicating that the consumption of processed meat can result in a higher risk of CVD in women. This concludes that processed meat and red meat should be studied and analysed separately in order to better understand their contribution to CVD.

Dietary patterns and cognitive decline in an Australian study of ageing

Gardener, S. L., Rainey-Smith, S. R., Barnes, M. B., Sohrabi, H. R., Weinborn, M., Lim, Y. Y., Harrington, K., Taddei, K., Gu, Y., Rembach, A., Szoeke, C., Ellis, K. A., Masters, C. L., Macaulay, S. L., Rowe, C. C., Ames, D., Keogh, J. B., Scarmeas, N., & Martins, R. N. (2015). Dietary patterns and cognitive decline in an Australian study of ageing. Molecular Psychiatry, 20(7), 860–866. https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2014.79

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Dietary patterns and cognitive decline in an Australian study of ageing

Cognitive decline is a major health concern commonly associated with aging. This paper investigates the correlation between three dietary patterns (Australian-style Mediterranean diet (AusMeDi), western diet and prudent diet) and the rate of cognitive decline over a three-year period. APOE ε4 allele gene is known as the main genetic factor leading to Alzheimer’s disease. The main findings of this paper highlight that adherence to a healthy diet (such as AusMeDi) reduces the risk of cognitive decline in APOE ε4 allele carriers. While adherence to an “unhealthy” diet increases the risk of cognitive decline in APOE ε4 allele non carriers. More research and longitudinal studies are required in order to better evaluate the relationship between diet and cognitive decline