Karen Charlton
Biographic Data
| ID | 7549637 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Karen Charlton |
| GIVEN NAMES | Karen |
| FAMILY NAME | Charlton |
| SIGNATURE | CHARLTON K |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Wollongong |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-8044-444X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 35 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 1 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 35 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2002 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Linking food insecurity to perceptions of food environments and diet quality: Implications for health promotion in regional Australia
Food insecurity is a growing public health concern in Australia; yet, health promotion programs aimed at creating supportive food environments have received limited attention. This study examined how perceptions of the food environment and perceived diet quality differ by food insecurity status, offering insights to guide Ottawa Charter–aligned health promotion strategies in regional Australia. An online cross-sectional study was conducted among …
Income, food expenditure shares, and severe food insecurity in Australia across 21 waves of Hilda
This study aimed to examine the association between household income and severe food insecurity in Australia and to assess how income-related patterns vary across geographic scales. Using 21 waves (2001–2021) of the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, we measured severe food insecurity through reported meal skipping due to financial constraint and food-related economic pressure through the share of household income…
Predictors and impacts of financial insecurity among university students: Associations with food insecurity, well-being, and academic outcomes in a national cross-sectional survey
Financial insecurity is a significant challenge for university students, affecting both wellbeing and study participation. Guided by a socio-ecological perspective, this study examines financial insecurity among university students as a multi-level issue shaped by individual, institutional, and broader structural conditions. A cross-sectional survey examined the prevalence of financial insecurity among Australian university students and its assoc…
Association between healthiness of community food environments and diet-related health outcomes in regional Australia: An ecological study
The community food environment influences access to healthy and affordable foods and is considered a risk factor for diet-related health outcomes. An ecological approach helps identify links between food environments and health outcomes by generating hypotheses. Evidence is limited and inconsistent, particularly in regional Australia. This study examined the association between community food environment metrics and diet-related health outcomes i…
Hungry for connection: Associations between social isolation, mental health, and food insecurity in regional Australian adults
Food insecurity is increasingly recognized as a public health issue with social and psychological dimensions. However, evidence on its association with mental health and social isolation in regional Australia remains limited. A cross-sectional online survey among adults (≥18 years) living in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions of Australia assessed food insecurity using the 18-item USDA Household Food Security Survey Module, categorized into ‘fo…
Positive perceptions and purchase of sustainable foods is associated with higher diet quality in Australian university students
Purpose This study aims to understand university students' perception and engagement with sustainable food practices and the relationship with diet quality. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey assessed Australian university students' sustainable food perceptions and purchasing behaviours, diet quality using the validated Australian Recommended Food Score and attitudes towards on campus sustainable food options. Findings Of respon…
Applying Design Thinking for Co-Designed Health Solutions: A Case Study on Chronic Kidney Disease in Regional Australia
(1) Background: This paper outlines key issues to consider when implementing Design Thinking methodology in health-based qualitative research to achieve a meaningful outcome. The purpose is to share our learnings with others. (2) Methods: Using the case study of an Australian region with high rates of chronic kidney disease, we describe a design-led methodological approach (co-design) that ensures end users remain central to research for the life…
Affordability of Habitual (Unhealthy) and Recommended (Healthy) Diets in the Illawarra Using the Healthy Diets Asap Protocol
Amidst a period of sustained inflation and rising living costs, food insecurity is a growing concern in Australia and is correlated with poor diet quality and increased rates of non-communicable diseases. Currently there is a gap in knowledge of the impact of increasing cost-of-living pressures on the affordability of a healthy diet. As affordability plays a key role in food security, this cross-sectional study aimed to examine the costs, afforda…
Local governments as gatekeepers to community gardens: What does “support” mean
In Australia, community gardens (CGs) commonly take the form of communally-operated growing spaces situated on public land administered by local governments (LGs). LGs and their policies are gatekeepers for CGs, and their support can determine garden viability; however, evidence regarding the nature of “support” in this context is limited. This research identified CG policies through the websites of all LGs (n = 207) in New South Wales (NSW) and …
Food provision to support improved nutrition and well-being of people experiencing disadvantage – perspectives of service providers
Objective: Diet quality is significantly impacted by social and environmental factors. People experiencing socio-economic disadvantage face inequitable barriers to accessing nutritious foods and health services, resulting in significant health disparities. This study aimed to explore the barriers faced by organisations that provide food support to people experiencing disadvantage as well as to identify potential strategies to enhance this support…
Association between plant-based diet quality and chronic kidney disease in Australian adults
Objective: To examine associations between three different plant-based diet quality indices, chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence and related risk factors in a nationally representative sample of the Australian population. Design: Cross-sectional analysis. Three plant-based diet scores were calculated using data from two 24-h recalls: an overall plant-based diet index (PDI), a healthy PDI (hPDI) and an unhealthy PDI (uPDI). Consumption of plan…
The Marri Gudjaga project: A study protocol for a randomised control trial using Aboriginal peer support workers to promote breastfeeding of Aboriginal babies
Background Breastfeeding protects against a range of conditions in the infant, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), diarrhoea, respiratory infections and middle ear infections [1, 2]. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age, with continued breastfeeding recommended for at least two years and other complementary nutritious foods [3]. The 2017-18 National Health Survey (NHS) and 2018-…
Nutrition programmes for individuals living with disadvantage in supported residential settings: A scoping review
Objective: Health inequities such as chronic disease are significantly higher among individuals living with disadvantage compared with the general population and many are reported to be attributable to preventable dietary risk factors. This study provides an overview of the current nutrition interventions for individuals living with extreme disadvantage, in supported residential settings, to develop insights into the development and implementatio…
Local urban government policies to facilitate healthy and environmentally sustainable diet-related practices: A scoping review
Objective: This scoping review sought to describe the policy actions that urban local governments globally have implemented to facilitate healthy and environmentally sustainable diet-related practices. Setting: Urban local government authorities. Design: Five databases were searched to identify publications which cited policies being implemented by local governments within the 199 signatory cities of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) that …
Characteristics of successful primary school-based experiential nutrition programmes: A systematic literature review
Objective: Diet and nutrition in childhood has been associated with the risk of chronic disease later in life. The aim of this review was to identify key characteristics of successful experiential nutrition interventions aimed to change nutrition-related cognitive and behavioural outcomes in primary schoolchildren. Design: A systematic literature review was undertaken using search terms (‘food security’, ‘school’, ‘nutrition’ and ‘program’) appli…
Does Vitamin D play a role in the management of Covid-19 in Brazil
The study discusses the possible role of adequate vitamin D status in plasma or serum for preventing acute respiratory infections during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our arguments respond to an article, published in Italy, that describes the high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in older Italian women and raises the possible preventive and therapeutic role of optimal vitamin D levels. Based on literature review, we highlight the findings regarding the p…
Determining a global mid-upper arm circumference cut-off to assess underweight in adults (men and non-pregnant women)
Objective: To determine if a global mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) cut-off can be established to classify underweight in adults (men and non-pregnant women). Design: We conducted an individual participant data meta-analysis (IPDMA) to explore the sensitivity (SENS) and specificity (SPEC) of various MUAC cut-offs for identifying underweight among adults (defined as BMI 2 ). Measures of diagnostic accuracy were determined every 0·5 cm across MU…
Assessing food security using household consumption expenditure surveys (HCES): A scoping literature review
Objective To meet some of the UN’s seventeen Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, there is a need for more effective policy to reduce food insecurity in low-income and lower-middle-income countries (LMIC). Measuring progress towards these goals requires reliable indicators of food security in these countries. Routinely conducted household consumption and expenditure surveys (HCES) provide potentially valuable and nationally representative data …
Food insecurity partially mediates associations between social disadvantage and body composition among older adults in india: Results from the study on global AGE ing and adult health ( Sage )
OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to test whether food insecurity mediates cross-sectional associations between social disadvantage and body composition among older adults (aged 50+) in India (n = 6556). METHODS: Adjusting for key sociodemographic and dietary variables, we examined whether markers of social disadvantage (lower educational attainment, lower household wealth, belonging to a disadvantaged caste/tribe, and belonging to a minority religion…
A cross-sectional analysis of the cost and affordability of achieving recommended intakes of non-starchy fruits and vegetables in the capital of Vanuatu
Achieving recommended intakes of local NSFV in Port Vila is largely unaffordable, and expenditure on these foods was inadequate for most households in Port Vila in 2010. Addressing fruit and vegetable affordability will be an important consideration in prevention of non-communicable diseases in the Pacific region
The nutritional status and energy and protein intakes of MOW clients and the need for further targeted strategies to enhance intakes
Using data from patient interactions in primary care for population level chronic disease surveillance: The Sentinel Practices Data Sourcing (SPDS) project
This proof-of-concept study has demonstrated that the scope of data collected during patient visits to their general practitioners (GPs), facilitated through the Medicare-funded primary health care system in Australia, provides an opportunity for monitoring of chronic disease prevalence and its associated risk factors at the local level. Selection of sentinel sites that are representative of the population being served will facilitate an accurate…
A proposed method to determine fumonisin exposure from maize consumption in a rural South African population using a culturally appropriate FFQ
Objective To develop an FFQ for estimating culture-specific maize intake that can distinguish between home-grown and commercial maize. Home-grown maize is more likely to be contaminated with fumonisins, mycotoxins that are associated with increased risk of oesophageal cancer. Design An existing FFQ developed for use in urban Xhosa populations was used as the initial framework for the maize-specific FFQ (M-FFQ). The existing questionnaire containe…
Foods, nutrients or whole diets: Effects of targeting fish and LCn3Pufa consumption in a 12mo weight loss trial
ACTRN12608000425392
Consumers' salient beliefs regarding dairy products in the functional food era: A qualitative study using concepts from the theory of planned behaviour
Nutrition education provided as a result of weight loss trial participation influenced behavioural and control beliefs relating to dairy products. This study provides a proof of concept indication that nutrition education may improve attitudes towards dairy products and may thus be an important target for public health campaigns seeking to increase intake of this food group
Prevalence of household food poverty in South Africa: Results from a large, nationally representative survey
Objectives: Household food insecurity is a major determinant of undernutrition, yet there is little information on its prevalence in the South African population. This paper assesses household food insecurity in South Africa using a quantitative and objective measure, known as food poverty, and provides prevalence estimates by geographic area and socio-economic condition. Design: Secondary data analysis combining two sources: Statistics South Afr…
Full-term, peri-urban South African infants under 6 months of age are at risk for early-onset anaemia
Objective: There is a paucity of data on the micronutrient status of low-income, lactating South African women and their infants under 6 months of age. The aim of this study was to elucidate the level of anaemia and vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in peri-urban breast-feeding women and their young infants. Design: Cross-sectional study including anthropometric, biochemical and infant feeding data. Setting: Peri-urban settlement in Cape Town, South Afr…
Sources and credibility of nutrition information among black urban South African women, with a focus on messages related to obesity
Objectives: (1) To identify the major sources of nutrition information, and the perceived credibility thereof, among urban black South African women; and (2) to determine the level of knowledge regarding nutrition, particularly regarding the topic of obesity. Design: A cross–sectional descriptive study that was both qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative (individual questionnaires). Three hundred and ninety–four black women aged 17–49 years …
Development of a novel nutrition screening tool for use in elderly South Africans
Objective To develop a nutrition screening tool for use in older South Africans. Design A cross-sectional validation study in 283 free-living and institutionalised black South Africans (60+ years). Methods Trained fieldworkers administered a 24-hour recall and the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) screening tool, and performed anthropometric measurements and physical function tests. Cognitive function was assessed using a validated version of the…
Development and validation of instruments measuring body image and body weight dissatisfaction in South African mothers and their daughters
Objective We sought to validate questionnaires concerning body image perception, body size dissatisfaction and weight-related beliefs in multi-ethnic South African mothers and their daughters. Settings and subjects: Girls attending primary school (ages 9–12 years, n = 333) and their mothers (n = 204) were interviewed regarding their demographics and body image. Weight, height and skinfold thicknesses were measured. Body image questions and body m…
Knowledge of iodine nutrition in the South African adult population
Objectives To determine the level of knowledge regarding iodine nutrition and its relationship with socio-economic status in the South African population. Design A cross-sectional population survey collecting questionnaire information on knowledge of iodine nutrition and sociodemographic variables in a multistage, stratified, cluster study sample, representative of the adult South African population. Setting Home visits and personal interviews in…
Development and validation of a short questionnaire to assess sodium intake
Objectives To develop and validate a short food-frequency questionnaire to assess habitual dietary salt intake in South Africans and to allow classification of individuals according to intakes above or below the maximum recommended intake of 6 g salt day −1 . Design Cross-sectional validation study in 324 conveniently sampled men and women. Methods Repeated 24-hour urinary Na values and 24-hour dietary recalls were obtained on three occasions. Fo…
A food-based dietary strategy lowers blood pressure in a low socio-economic setting: A randomised study in South Africa
Objective To assess the impact of a food-based intervention on blood pressure (BP) in free-living South African men and women aged 50–75 years, with drug-treated mild-to-moderate hypertension. Methods A double-blind controlled trial was undertaken in eighty drug-treated mild-to-moderate hypertensive subjects randomised to an intervention ( n 40) or control ( n 40) arm. The intervention was 8-week provision of six food items with a modified cation…
Validation of the Mini Nutritional Assessment short-form (MNA®-SF): A practical tool for identification of nutritional status
Consumers' salient beliefs regarding dairy products in the functional food era: A qualitative study using concepts from the theory of planned behaviour
Nutrition education provided as a result of weight loss trial participation influenced behavioural and control beliefs relating to dairy products. This study provides a proof of concept indication that nutrition education may improve attitudes towards dairy products and may thus be an important target for public health campaigns seeking to increase intake of this food group
Pork, beef and chicken have similar effects on acute satiety and hormonal markers of appetite
Foods, nutrients or whole diets: Effects of targeting fish and LCn3Pufa consumption in a 12mo weight loss trial
ACTRN12608000425392
Using data from patient interactions in primary care for population level chronic disease surveillance: The Sentinel Practices Data Sourcing (SPDS) project
This proof-of-concept study has demonstrated that the scope of data collected during patient visits to their general practitioners (GPs), facilitated through the Medicare-funded primary health care system in Australia, provides an opportunity for monitoring of chronic disease prevalence and its associated risk factors at the local level. Selection of sentinel sites that are representative of the population being served will facilitate an accurate…
A proposed method to determine fumonisin exposure from maize consumption in a rural South African population using a culturally appropriate FFQ
Objective To develop an FFQ for estimating culture-specific maize intake that can distinguish between home-grown and commercial maize. Home-grown maize is more likely to be contaminated with fumonisins, mycotoxins that are associated with increased risk of oesophageal cancer. Design An existing FFQ developed for use in urban Xhosa populations was used as the initial framework for the maize-specific FFQ (M-FFQ). The existing questionnaire containe…
A cross-sectional analysis of the cost and affordability of achieving recommended intakes of non-starchy fruits and vegetables in the capital of Vanuatu
Achieving recommended intakes of local NSFV in Port Vila is largely unaffordable, and expenditure on these foods was inadequate for most households in Port Vila in 2010. Addressing fruit and vegetable affordability will be an important consideration in prevention of non-communicable diseases in the Pacific region
The nutritional status and energy and protein intakes of MOW clients and the need for further targeted strategies to enhance intakes
Food insecurity partially mediates associations between social disadvantage and body composition among older adults in india: Results from the study on global AGE ing and adult health ( Sage )
OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to test whether food insecurity mediates cross-sectional associations between social disadvantage and body composition among older adults (aged 50+) in India (n = 6556). METHODS: Adjusting for key sociodemographic and dietary variables, we examined whether markers of social disadvantage (lower educational attainment, lower household wealth, belonging to a disadvantaged caste/tribe, and belonging to a minority religion…
Assessing food security using household consumption expenditure surveys (HCES): A scoping literature review
Objective To meet some of the UN’s seventeen Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, there is a need for more effective policy to reduce food insecurity in low-income and lower-middle-income countries (LMIC). Measuring progress towards these goals requires reliable indicators of food security in these countries. Routinely conducted household consumption and expenditure surveys (HCES) provide potentially valuable and nationally representative data …
Does Vitamin D play a role in the management of Covid-19 in Brazil
The study discusses the possible role of adequate vitamin D status in plasma or serum for preventing acute respiratory infections during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our arguments respond to an article, published in Italy, that describes the high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in older Italian women and raises the possible preventive and therapeutic role of optimal vitamin D levels. Based on literature review, we highlight the findings regarding the p…
Determining a global mid-upper arm circumference cut-off to assess underweight in adults (men and non-pregnant women)
Objective: To determine if a global mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) cut-off can be established to classify underweight in adults (men and non-pregnant women). Design: We conducted an individual participant data meta-analysis (IPDMA) to explore the sensitivity (SENS) and specificity (SPEC) of various MUAC cut-offs for identifying underweight among adults (defined as BMI 2 ). Measures of diagnostic accuracy were determined every 0·5 cm across MU…
Local urban government policies to facilitate healthy and environmentally sustainable diet-related practices: A scoping review
Objective: This scoping review sought to describe the policy actions that urban local governments globally have implemented to facilitate healthy and environmentally sustainable diet-related practices. Setting: Urban local government authorities. Design: Five databases were searched to identify publications which cited policies being implemented by local governments within the 199 signatory cities of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) that …
Characteristics of successful primary school-based experiential nutrition programmes: A systematic literature review
Objective: Diet and nutrition in childhood has been associated with the risk of chronic disease later in life. The aim of this review was to identify key characteristics of successful experiential nutrition interventions aimed to change nutrition-related cognitive and behavioural outcomes in primary schoolchildren. Design: A systematic literature review was undertaken using search terms (‘food security’, ‘school’, ‘nutrition’ and ‘program’) appli…
Nutrition programmes for individuals living with disadvantage in supported residential settings: A scoping review
Objective: Health inequities such as chronic disease are significantly higher among individuals living with disadvantage compared with the general population and many are reported to be attributable to preventable dietary risk factors. This study provides an overview of the current nutrition interventions for individuals living with extreme disadvantage, in supported residential settings, to develop insights into the development and implementatio…
The Marri Gudjaga project: A study protocol for a randomised control trial using Aboriginal peer support workers to promote breastfeeding of Aboriginal babies
Background Breastfeeding protects against a range of conditions in the infant, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), diarrhoea, respiratory infections and middle ear infections [1, 2]. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age, with continued breastfeeding recommended for at least two years and other complementary nutritious foods [3]. The 2017-18 National Health Survey (NHS) and 2018-…
Local governments as gatekeepers to community gardens: What does “support” mean
In Australia, community gardens (CGs) commonly take the form of communally-operated growing spaces situated on public land administered by local governments (LGs). LGs and their policies are gatekeepers for CGs, and their support can determine garden viability; however, evidence regarding the nature of “support” in this context is limited. This research identified CG policies through the websites of all LGs (n = 207) in New South Wales (NSW) and …
Medicine (24 works) · Environmental health (14 works) · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations (11 works) · Internal Medicine (10 works) · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet (9 works) · Biology (8 works) · Food insecurity (8 works) · Child Nutrition and Water Access (7 works) · Gerontology (7 works) · Nutritional Studies and Diet (7 works)