Clare Whitton

• Curtin University

Measurement error undermines the accuracy of dietary intake data. The 24-hour dietary recall (24HR) is the standard data collection method in nutrition surveillance. Several neurocognitive processes underpin the act of recall, and individuals differ in their performance of these processes. This study aimed to investigate whether variation in neuroc...

Objective To characterize the nature of digital food and beverage advertising in Singapore Setting Food and beverage advertisements within 20 clicks on top 12 non-food websites and all posts on Facebook and Instagram pages of 15 major food companies in Singapore were sampled from January 1 to June 30, 2018. Design Advertised foods were classified...

Background Technology-assisted 24-h dietary recalls (24HRs) have been widely adopted in population nutrition surveillance. Evaluations of 24HRs inform improvements, but direct comparisons of 24HR methods for accuracy in reference to a measure of true intake are rarely undertaken in a single study population. Objectives To compare the accuracy of e...

BACKGROUND Integration of mHealth data collection methods into cohort studies enables the collection of intensive longitudinal information, which gives deeper insights into individuals’ health and lifestyle behavioural patterns over time, as compared to traditional cohort methods with less frequent data collection. These findings can then fill the...

Background Integration of mobile health data collection methods into cohort studies enables the collection of intensive longitudinal information, which gives deeper insights into individuals’ health and lifestyle behavioral patterns over time, as compared to traditional cohort methods with less frequent data collection. These findings can then fill...

BACKGROUND The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet score lowers blood pressure (BP). We examined interactions between genotype and the DASH diet score in relation to systolic BP. METHODS We analyzed up to 9 420 585 single nucleotide polymorphisms in up to 127 282 individuals of 6 population groups (91% of European population) from...

Objective We examined interactions between genotype and a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet score in relation to systolic blood pressure (SBP). Methods We analyzed up to 9,420,585 biallelic imputed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in up to 127,282 individuals of six population groups (91% of European population) from the Co...

Background: Evidence is accumulating that intake of animal- and plant-based protein have different effects on cardio-metabolic health, but less is known about the health effect of isocaloric substitution of animal- and plant-based protein. Data from Asian populations are limited. Objective: Our study aims were 1) to evaluate the effects of isoca...

Preventing the rise in obesity is a global public health priority. Neighbourhood environments can help or undermine people’s efforts to manage their weight, depending on availability of nutritious and nutrient-poor ‘discretionary’ foods. The proportion of household food budgets spent on eating outside the home is increasing. To inform nutrition pol...

Background: A greater time spent with glucose above the normal range (TAR) has been associated with poorer glycaemic control amongst pre-diabetic individuals. Individual differences in oral processing behaviours and saliva amylase activity have been shown to influence glucose responses. Objective: The current study is a preliminary exploration of t...

Peak EI from UPFs in both groups was greatest between 6-9 pm, then 12-3pm. The traditional three meal times accounted for 56.5% and 63.2% of UPF EI in Study 1 and Study 2, respectively OBJECTIVE To identify adult temporal patterns associated with energy consumed from UPFs using 4-day mobile food records (4dFR). The graphs show the temporal pattern...

Environmentally sustainable diets are increasingly aspired to in food-based dietary guidelines across the world. However, little is known about consumer attitudes toward these diets when making food decisions. This study aimed to identify the demographic characteristics of Australian adults based on the level of attention they paid to the healthful...

Demographic and psychosocial factors concerning dietary assessment error have been explored, but few studies have investigated the perceived problems experienced when completing dietary recalls. The aim of this research was to (i) compare the perceived problems encountered in two commonly used self-administered 24-hour dietary recall (24HR) program...

Error in self-reported food and beverage intake affects the accuracy of dietary intake data. Systematically synthesizing available data on contributors to error within and between food groups has not been conducted but may help inform error mitigation strategies. This review aimed to systematically identify, quantify, and compare contributors to er...

Background and aims Studies examining associations between dietary patterns and Framingham risk score (FRS) and predicted 10-year cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk in an Asian population are lacking. This study aimed to identify a posteriori dietary patterns across three major ethnic groups in Singapore and ascertain their associations with locall...

Objectives Technology has increased the availability of mobile health (mHealth) apps for dietary assessment. The 24 hour recall (24 HR) is the current preferred method to monitor population diet related health and nutritional status to inform public health nutrition policies. A novel labelled image assisted 24 HR has potential to enhance engagement...

Improving dietary reporting among people living with obesity is challenging as many factors influence reporting accuracy. Reactive reporting may occur in response to dietary recording but little is known about how image-based methods influence this process. Using a 4-day image-based mobile food record (mFR TM ), this study aimed to identify demogra...

BACKGROUND Young adults tend to order unhealthy diets via mobile food delivery applications (MFDAs). However, it is not known why these young adults order food via MFDAs, and why young adults tend to order unhealthy food via MFDAs especially during this period of COVID-19. OBJECTIVE To investigate MFDA usage patterns of young adults and their asso...

Background: Poor diet contributes significantly to the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). In Singapore, it is recommended to consume at least two servings of fruits and vegetables (FV) daily to reduce the risk of developing NCDs. However, the adherence rate among young adults is low. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to frequent users of...

Background Chronic conditions are a leading cause of death and disability worldwide and respective data on dietary patterns remain scant. The present study aimed to investigate dietary patterns and identify sociodemographic factors associated with Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) scores within a multi-ethnic population with various ch...

We examined how dietary and physical activity behaviors influence fluctuations in blood glucose levels over a seven-day period in people at high risk for diabetes. Twenty-eight participants underwent a mixed meal tolerance test to assess glucose homeostasis at baseline. Subsequently, they wore an accelerometer to assess movement behaviors, recorded...

Growing prosperity, but also disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and consumer preferences are changing global meat consumption. We investigated the 2000–2019 trends in 35 countries monitored by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. We also tested relationships with Gross Domestic Pro...

Background: Chronic conditions are a leading cause of death and disability worldwide and respective data on dietary patterns remain scant. The present study aimed to investigate dietary patterns and identify sociodemographic factors associated with Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) scores within a multi-ethnic population with various chr...

Background: Chronic conditions are a leading cause of death and disability worldwide and respective data on dietary patterns remain scant. The present study aimed to investigate dietary patterns and identify sociodemographic factors associated with Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) scores within a multi-ethnic population with various chr...

Background The assessment of dietary intake underpins population nutrition surveillance and nutritional epidemiology and is essential to inform effective public health policies and programs. Technological advances in dietary assessment that use images and automated methods have the potential to improve accuracy, respondent burden, and cost; however...

BACKGROUND The assessment of dietary intake underpins population nutrition surveillance and nutritional epidemiology and is essential to inform effective public health policies and programs. Technological advances in dietary assessment that use images and automated methods have the potential to improve accuracy, respondent burden, and cost; however...

Background Community-based diabetes prevention programs varied widely in effectiveness, and the intervention strategy consisting of lifestyle interventions, stepwise addition of metformin, and financial incentives has not been studied in real-world clinical practice settings. The Pre-Diabetes Interventions and Continued Tracking to Ease-out Diabete...

Purpose Variations in specific oral processing behaviours may contribute to differences in glucose, insulin and satiety responses to a standardised test meal. This study tested how natural variations in oral processing between slower and faster eaters contribute to differences in post-prandial glucose (PP glucose), insulin response (PP insulin) and...

Identifying when most weight gain occurs throughout the life course can inform targeted public health interventions. We evaluated the association of childbirth, marriage, and employment changes with weight changes in a multi-ethnic Asian cohort. Singapore Multi-Ethnic Cohort participants ≥21 years (n = 9655) who identified as ethnic Chinese, Malay,...

Introduction: Nutritional psychiatry is an emerging field of study that investigates the role of diet and nutrition in mental health. Studies conducted in the general population have linked depressive symptoms with poor dietary patterns. The aim of this study was to characterise the dietary intake and analyse the dietary pattern using the Dietary...

Background: Although higher diet quality at mid-life has been associated with better cognitive function in late adulthood, it is unclear whether dietary improvement after mid-life may reduce the risk of cognitive impairment. Objectives: We examined associations between changes in diet quality and risk of cognitive impairment in the Singapore Chi...

Background The prevalence of obesity is increasing in many Asian countries. However, longitudinal data on the impacts of dietary factors on weight gain in Asian populations are sparse. Objectives We evaluated the relationship between changes in intakes of nutrients, foods, and beverages and diet quality and long-term changes in body weight. Metho...

BACKGROUND Frequent and large fluctuations in blood glucose concentration during the day may increase risk of type 2 diabetes. It remains unclear how diet and physical activity affect glycemic variability in real-world conditions in persons without diabetes. OBJECTIVE We examined metabolic and lifestyle determinants (diet, physical activity, and s...

Background Community-based diabetes prevention programs varied widely in effectiveness, and the intervention strategy consisting of lifestyle interventions, stepwise addition of metformin and financial incentives has not been studied in real-world clinical practice settings. The Pre-Diabetes Interventions and Continued Tracking to Ease-out Diabetes...

Background: Both high energy density and fast eating rates contribute to excess energy intakes. The energy intake rate (EIR; kcal/min) combines both the energy density (kcal/g) and eating rate (g/min) of a food to quantify the typical rate at which calories of different foods are ingested. Objectives: We describe the EIRs of diets in a multi-ethnic...

Objective: SMART-GDM examined whether Habits-GDM, a smartphone application (app) coaching program, can prevent excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) and improve glycemic control and maternal and neonatal outcomes in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Research design and methods: In this randomized controlled trial, women diagnosed with GDM be...

Objective Singapore, an urbanised, developed nation, with a high reliance on food importation and a high prevalence of eating out is facing rising rates of obesity and diabetes. The objective of the current study was to characterise and evaluate the Singapore government’s policies to improve the food environment and to identify and prioritise concr...

Aims To assess contributions of dietary and genetic factors to ethnic differences in AMD prevalence. Design Population-based analytical study. Methods In the Blue Mountains Eye Study, Australia (European ancestry n = 2826) and Multi-Ethnic Cohort Study, Singapore (Asian ancestry, n = 1900), AMD was assessed from retinal photographs. Patterns of d...

Eating faster is associated with greater body mass index (BMI), but less is known about the relationships between eating rate, energy intake, body composition, and cardio-metabolic risk factors in different Asian ethnic groups. Using data from the Singapore Multi-Ethnic Cohort (n = 7011; 21-75 y), we investigated associations between self-reported...

The objective of this study is to systematically review the evidence on correlates of sedentary behaviour (SB) among Asian adults. We searched for studies that examined individual, environmental, and political/cultural correlates of total and domain-specific SB (transport, occupation, leisure, and screen time) in Asian adults published from 2000 on...

Scope Dietary biomarkers allow for study of diet and chronic disease risk relationships, but a key requirement is that these biomarkers are reproducible and reflect long‐term diet. This study aimed to assess the reproducibility of a range of dietary biomarkers in a multi‐ethnic Asian population, and quantify attenuation of diet‐disease relationship...

The Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food‐EPI) aims to assess the extent of implementation of recommended food environment policies by governments compared with international best practices and prioritize actions to fill implementation gaps. The Food‐EPI was applied in 11 countries across six regions (2015‐2018). National public health nutrit...

Objective Short screeners for assessing dietary quality are lacking in Asia. We recently developed a short thirty-seven-item diet screener (DS). The present study aimed to evaluate reproducibility and relative validity of the DS in assessing a priori dietary quality indices (DQI; i.e. the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010), alternate...

Background: Healthful dietary patterns are associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors in Western populations. However, a consistent healthful dietary pattern across major Asian ethnic groups has yet to be identified. Objective: We aimed to identify a posteriori dietary patterns for Chinese, Malay, and Indian ethnic groups in an urban As...

The assessment of diets in multi-ethnic cosmopolitan settings is challenging. A semi-quantitative 163-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was developed for the adult Singapore population, and this study aimed to assess its reproducibility and relative validity against 24-h dietary recalls (24 h DR) and biomarkers. The FFQ was administered twice...

We examined the relationship between different patterns of meat and seafood consumption and plasma metabolic profiles in an Asian population. We selected 270 ethnic Chinese men and women from the Singapore Prospective Study Program based on their dietary habits assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire. Participants were divided into f...

Assessing habitual food consumption is challenging in multi-ethnic cosmopolitan settings. We systematically developed a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in a multi-ethnic population in Singapore, using data from two 24-h dietary recalls from a nationally representative sample of 805 Singapore residents of Chinese, Malay and Indi...

Background: The collection of 24-h urine samples for the estimation of sodium intake is burdensome, and the utility of spot urine samples in Southeast Asian populations is unclear. Objective: We aimed to assess the validity of prediction equations with the use of spot urine concentrations. Methods: A sample of 144 Singapore residents of Chines...

To determine the demographic profile of fast-food consumers among adult Singapore residents and ascertain whether fast-food consumption frequency is associated with diet quality and weight status. A nationally representative cross-sectional survey including an FFQ and anthropometric measures. Participants were grouped based on their fast-food consu...

High saturated fat intake is an established risk factor for several chronic diseases. The objective of the present study is to report dietary intakes and main food sources of fat and fatty acids (FA) from the first year of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) rolling programme in the UK. Dietary data were collected using 4 d estimated food...

The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) is a cross-sectional survey designed to gather data representative of the UK population on food consumption, nutrient intakes and nutritional status. The objectives of the present paper were to identify and describe food consumption and nutrient intakes in the UK from the first year of the NDNS rolling...

The development and relative validity of a food frequency questionnaire for the assessment of dietary iron intakes in women of childbearing age - Volume 69 Issue OCE6 - S. Pritchard, C. Whitton, E. Bannerman, J. McKenzie

National diet and nutrition survey: food consumption from the first year of the rolling programme - Volume 69 Issue OCE6 - C. Whitton, C. J. Prynne, B. Teucher, C. Roberts, B. Bates, H. Henderson, E. Fitt, D. Cole, S. Pigott, C. Deverill, G. Swan, A. M. Stephen