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Reviewing the development and wellbeing of children, prior to them commencing kindergarten
The Happy Parenting Program is investigating new ways to provide support to parents with young children from an early age.
Assessing a dental photographic method as an alternative dental screening method.
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Clustering of psychosocial symptoms in overweight childrenThe aims of the present study were to (i) examine the relationship between children's degree of adiposity and psychosocial functioning; and (ii) compare patterns of clustering of psychosocial measures between healthy weight and overweight/obese children.
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Maternal Late-Pregnancy Serum Unmetabolized Folic Acid Concentrations Are Not Associated with Infant Allergic Disease: A Prospective Cohort StudyThe increase in childhood allergic disease in recent decades has coincided with increased folic acid intakes during pregnancy. Circulating unmetabolized folic acid (UMFA) has been proposed as a biomarker of excessive folic acid intake. We aimed to determine if late-pregnancy serum UMFA and total folate concentrations were associated with allergic disease risk in the offspring at 1 y of age in a population at high risk of allergy.
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Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD): The importance of life-course and transgenerational approachesWith well-established evidence that early life conditions have a profound influence on lifespan and health-span, new interventional birth cohorts are examining ways to optimise health potential of individuals and communities. These are aimed at going beyond preventing disease, to the conditions that facilitate flourishing from an early age.
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The association of mobile touch screen device use with parent-child attachment: a systematic reviewMobile touch screen devices (smartphones and tablet computers) have become an integral part of many parents’ and children’s lives, with this interaction linked to physical, mental and social outcomes. Despite the known importance of parent-child attachment, evidence on the association between device use and attachment was yet to be reviewed.
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A world of inflammation: the need for ecological solutions that co-benefit people, place and planetThe ecology of the early environment - including microbial diversity, nutrition, nature, social interactions and the totality of exposures in the wider "exposome" - have life-long implications for all aspects of health and resilience. In particular, the emergence of "microbiome science" provides new evidence for vital relationships between biodiversity and health at every level.
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Health-related behaviours and weight status of expectant fathersLittle attention has been given to the health status and lifestyle behaviours of expectant fathers. This study aimed to examine health-related variables in a cohort of expectant fathers to identify potential focus areas for interventions designed to optimise health and wellbeing outcomes in this group.
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The Flourishing Child: Understanding how Adults and Children Perceive Flourishing from the Start of LifeThe current narrative surrounding children’s health and wellbeing often focuses on adversity and dysregulation with a lack of positive messaging. However, promoting protective and buffering factors may be as important as reducing adverse exposures. While the concept of flourishing is commonly applied in the context of adults, defining what flourishing means for children in current academic literature remains unclear.