Jonathan Hodgson

• The University of Western Australia

Inorganic dietary nitrate, metabolized through an endogenous pathway involving nitrate reducing bacteria, improves cardiovascular health, but its effects on the oral and intestinal microbiomes of older adults with treated hypertension are unknown. Our study investigated the effects of nitrate from beetroot juice on the oral and intestinal microbiom...

Higher habitual intakes of dietary flavonoids have been linked with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and major chronic disease. Yet, the contribution of diversity of flavonoid intake to health outcomes remains to be investigated. Here, using a cohort of 124,805 UK Biobank participants, we show that participants who consumed the widest diversity...

We are conducting a research program to cocreate, implement and evaluate an injury prevention intervention for the Western Australia (WA) Police Force Recruit Training Academy. This programme of research has three primary phases: (1) cocreate an injury prevention intervention for the WA Police Force with WA Force recruits, WA Police Force staff, he...

Dietary nitrate is a precursor to nitric oxide, for which plausible mechanisms exist for both beneficial and detrimental influences in multiple sclerosis (MS) (1,2) . Whether dietary nitrate has any role in MS onset is unclear. We aimed to test associations between nitrate intake from food sources (plant, vegetable, animal, processed meat, and unpr...

Observational studies suggest higher intake of cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli, cauliflower, kale) is associated with lower chronic disease risk (1,2) . Glucosinolates (GSL) and cysteine sulfoxides such as S- methyl cysteine sulfoxide (SMCSO) are sulfur-containing compounds found in high amounts in these vegetables ⁽³⁾ . Currently, no data e...

Aims Higher cruciferous vegetable (e.g., broccoli) intake is associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but limited causal evidence exists. We investigated if cruciferous vegetable intake improved glycaemic control compared to root/squash vegetables in non‐diabetic adults with elevated blood pressure. Materials and M...

Purpose Vitamin K may inhibit vascular calcification, a common attribute of atherosclerotic vascular diseases (ASVDs). We examined associations between dietary vitamin K1 intakes and both subclinical atherosclerosis and ASVD events, including hospitalisations and mortality, in older women. Methods 1,436 community-dwelling women (mean ± SD age 75.1...

Background: Dietary nitrate, as a nitric oxide (NO) precursor, may support brain health and protect against dementia. Objective: Our primary aim was to investigate whether dietary nitrate is associated with neuroimaging markers of brain health linked with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Participants: Study participants were cognitively unimpaired in...

A healthy police force is a key component of a well-functioning society, yet 1 in 20 law enforcement recruits drop out of the recruit training programme due to injury. This drop-out rate has substantial economic and workforce ramifications. In the Western Australia Police Force, one in five recruits suffers a musculoskeletal injury during the recru...

Lateral Spine Image (LSI) analysis is important for medical diagnosis, treatment planning, and detailed spinal health assessments. Although modalities like Computed Tomography and Digital X-ray Imaging are commonly used, Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) is often preferred due to lower radiation exposure, seamless capture, and cost-effectivene...

Background: While potatoes are considered a dietary staple in some cultures, evidence suggests that their impact on T2D risk is nuanced, with preparation methods and dietary patterns playing crucial roles. Investigating the substitution effects of replacing potatoes with other foods is required to inform dietary recommendations for lowering T2D ris...

N-Nitrosamines, carcinogenic compounds present in dietary and environmental sources and formed endogenously, are believed to be linked with the presence of nitrate and nitrite, both within dietary sources and after...

Provision of non-invasive vascular imaging results to individuals has been shown to improve cardiovascular disease risk factor control: its impact on diet remains uncertain. In this two-arm, single-blind, parallel, 12-week randomized controlled trial, 240 participants, 57.5% females aged 60–80 y had abdominal aortic calcification and clinical asses...

BACKGROUND Flavonoids may play a role in mitigating atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, with evidence suggesting effects may differ between vascular beds. Studies examining associations with subclinical markers of atherosclerosis between subpopulations with different underlying risks of atherosclerosis are lacking. METHODS Among 5599 particip...

Background Higher cruciferous vegetable intake is associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk in observational studies. The pathways involved remain uncertain. We aimed to determine whether cruciferous vegetable intake (active) lowers 24-h brachial systolic blood pressure (SBP; primary outcome) compared to root and squash vegetables (control)...

Background Cardiovascular imaging interventions are widely used to convey messages regarding cardiovascular disease risk, individual capability to adopt lifestyle changes, and the potential benefits of adhering to therapy or behaviour change. Such interventions have the potential to change misconceptions and promote positive beliefs and attitudes t...

Introduction Dietary nitrate is potentially beneficial for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and nervous systems due to its role as a nitric oxide (NO) precursor. Increased nitrate intake improves cardiovascular health and therefore could protect against dementia, given the cardiovascular-dementia link. Objective To investigate the association betw...

Frailty is a distinctive health state related to the ageing process in which multiple body systems gradually lose their in-built reserves, and is associated with declines across sensory, neurological, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal systems ⁽¹⁾ . Previously, relationships have been identified between high dietary nitrate intake and several comp...

Purpose Cancer survival is improving, making optimal management of long-term treatment-related adverse effects increasingly important. Exercise and a healthy diet are beneficial and regularly recommended in cancer survivorship guidelines; however, few cancer survivors meet these recommendations so there is a need to explore why. This study aimed to...

Introduction: Cardiovascular imaging results offer valuable information that can guide health decisions, but their impact on medication use and adherence is unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the downstream impact of cardiovascular imaging results on medication use and adherence. Methods: Searches were conducted...

Introduction Nitrate and nitrite are naturally occurring in both plant- and animal-sourced foods, are used as additives in the processing of meat, and are found in water. There is growing evidence that they exhibit a spectrum of health effects, depending on the dietary source. The aim of the study was to examine source-dependent associations betwee...

Purpose Dietary nitrate intake is inversely related to numerous contributors towards frailty, including cardiovascular disease and poor physical function. Whether these findings extend to frailty remain unknown. We investigated if habitual nitrate intake, derived from plants or animal-based foods, was cross-sectionally associated with frailty in wo...

Context The associations of vegetable and potato intakes with type 2 diabetes (T2D) appear to be nuanced, depending on vegetable types and preparation method, respectively. Objective We investigated the associations of total vegetable, vegetable subgroup, and potato intakes with (1) markers of T2D at baseline and (2) incident T2D cumulative over a...

Scope Higher intake of cruciferous and allium vegetables is associated with lower cardiometabolic risk. Little research has investigated the cardiometabolic effects of S‐methyl cysteine sulfoxide (SMCSO), found abundant in these vegetables. This study hypothesizes that SMCSO will blunt development of metabolic syndrome features in mice fed high‐fat...

The decline in vascular function and increase in blood pressure with aging contribute to an increased cardiovascular disease risk. In this randomized placebo-controlled crossover study, we evaluated whether previously reported...

Background The dietary source and intake levels of nitrate and nitrite may govern its deleterious versus beneficial effects on human health. Existing evidence on detailed source-specific intake is limited. The objectives of this study were to assess nitrate and nitrite intakes from different dietary sources (plant-based foods, animal-based foods, a...

This study examined the relationship between total vegetable intake, including specific vegetable types with long-term late-life dementia (LLD) risk in older Australian women. 1206 community-dwelling older women aged ≥70 years...

Background: Leaflet calcification contributes to the development and progression of aortic valve stenosis. Vitamin K activates inhibitors of vascular calcification and may modulate inflammation and skeletal bone loss. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether higher dietary intakes of vitamin K1 are associated with a lower incidence of aortic steno...

Sulfur containing compounds including glucosinolates (GLS), sulforaphane (SFN) and S-methyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide (SMCSO) have been proposed to be partly responsible for the beneficial health effects of cruciferous vegetables. As such, greater understanding of their measurements within foods is important to estimate intake in humans and to inform di...

Higher intakes of cruciferous and allium vegetables are associated with a lower risk of cardiometabolic-related outcomes in observational studies. Whilst acknowledging the many healthy compounds within these vegetables, animal studies indicate that some of these beneficial effects may be partially mediated by S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide (SMCSO), a...

The impact of a Mediterranean diet on the intestinal microbiome has been linked to its health benefits. We aim to evaluate the effects of a Mediterranean diet supplemented with dairy foods on the gut microbiome in Australians at risk of cardiovascular disease. In a randomised controlled cross-over study, 34 adults with a systolic blood pressure ≥12...

Objective To examine the association between high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI), a biomarker of myocardial injury, muscle function decline and 14.5-year fall-related hospitalisation risk in women aged over 70 years. Methods 1179 ambulatory community-dwelling women aged over 70 years with subclinical levels of hs-cTnI (ie, <15.6 ng/L), w...

Background: Phenyl-γ-valerolactones (PVLs) have been identified as biomarkers of dietary flavan-3-ol exposure, though their utility requires further characterisation. Objectives: We investigate the performance of a range of PVLs as biomarkers indicative of flavan-3-ol intake. Methods: We report results of two companion studies: a 5-way randomi...

Three-dimensional (3D) food printing is a rapidly emerging technology offering unprecedented potential for customised food design and personalised nutrition. Here, we evaluate the technological advances in extrusion-based 3D food printing and its possibilities to promote healthy and sustainable eating. We consider the challenges in implementing the...

Health-related behaviours contribute to the global burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Cardiovascular imaging can be used to screen asymptomatic individuals for increased risk of CVD to enable earlier interventions to promote health-related behaviours to prevent or reduce CVD risk. Some theories of behaviour and behaviour change assume that eng...

Background & aims: Dietary nitrate improves cardiovascular health via a nitric oxide (NO) pathway. NO is key to both cardiovascular and brain health. There is also a strong association between vascular risk factors and brain health. Dietary nitrate intake could therefore be associated with better cognitive function and reduced risk of cognitive de...

Context: Observational studies have reported lower risks of type 2 diabetes with higher vitamin K1 intakes, but these studies overlook effect modification due to known diabetes risk factors. Objective: To identify subgroups that might benefit from vitamin K1 intakes, we examined associations between vitamin K1 intake and incident diabetes overal...

Three-dimensional (3D) food printing is a rapidly emerging technology offering unprecedented potential for customised food design and personalised nutrition. Here, we evaluate the technological advances in extrusion-based 3D food printing and its possibilities to promote healthy and sustainable eating. We consider the challenges in implementing the...

Background: Impaired muscle function has been identified as a risk factor for declining cognitive function and cardiovascular health, both of which are risk factors for late-life dementia (after 80 years of age). We examined whether hand grip strength and timed-up-and-go (TUG) performance, including their change over 5 years, were associated with...

Observational studies have observed lower risks of type 2 diabetes (T2D) with higher vitamin K1 intakes,(Reference Ibarrola-Jurado, Salas-Salvadó and Martínez-González1,Reference Beulens, van der and Grobbee2) but these studies have lacked power to investigate effect modification due to known risk factors for diabetes. Thus, we aimed to examine ass...

Background Phenyl- γ- valerolactones (PVLs) have been proposed as potential biomarkers of dietary flavan-3-ol exposure. Objective We investigate the performance of a range of PVLs as biomarkers indicative of flavan-3-ol intake. Methods We report results of two companion studies: a 5-way randomised cross-over trial (RCT) and an observational cross...

Background Dietary nitrate has a controversial role in human health. For over half a century, the nitrate content of the three major dietary sources – vegetables, meat, and water – has been legislated, regulated, and monitored due to public health concerns over cancer risk. In contrast, a growing and compelling body of evidence indicates that dieta...

The assessment of dietary patterns comprehensively represents the totality of the diet, an important risk factor for many chronic diseases. This study aimed to characterise and compare four dietary pattern indices in middle-aged Australian adults. In 3458 participants (55% female) from the Busselton Healthy Ageing Study (Phase Two), a validated foo...

Increasing evidence supports that a higher dietary inflammatory index (DII®) score is associated with inflammation and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, events, and mortality. This randomized trial sought to determine if a change to a Mediterranean diet resulted in a reduction in the DII score, and then it evaluated the relationship between the DI...

Background In recent years, a potential beneficial role of Vitamin K in neuromuscular function has been recognised. However, the optimal dietary intake of Vitamin K to support muscle function in the context of falls prevention remains unknown. Objective To examine the relationship of dietary Vitamin K1 and K2 with muscle function and long-term inj...

Objective: To examine the relationship between intake of vegetables/potatoes and incident type 2 diabetes (T2D) and explore whether the relationship between vegetable intake and incident T2D is mediated by baseline BMI. Research design and methods: Cross-sectional associations between exposure (baseline intake of total vegetables, vegetable subg...

Background: A few cross-sectional studies have highlighted inconsistent associations between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and musculoskeletal conditions. We sought to investigate the relationship between clinical CVD including subtypes, compromised muscle function, as well as incident self-reported and injurious falls in older women. Materials an...

Dietary nitrate, found predominantly in green leafy vegetables and other vegetables such as radish, celery, and beetroot, has been shown to beneficially modulate inflammatory processes and immune cell function in animals and healthy individuals. The impact of increased nitrate intake on soluble inflammatory mediators in individuals with hypertensio...

There is currently no effective treatment for dementia, of which Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form. It is, therefore, imperative to focus on evidence-based preventive strategies to combat this extremely debilitating chronic disease. Nitric oxide (NO) is a key signalling molecule in the cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and central ner...

Background The extent of abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) is a major predictor of vascular disease events. We have previously found regular apple intake, a major source of dietary flavonoids, associates with lower AAC. Whether total dietary flavonoid intake impacts AAC remains unknown. Here, we extend our observations to habitual intakes of tot...

Background Although a healthy diet and physical activity have been shown to prevent or delay cardiovascular disease (CVD) hospitalizations and deaths, most adults do not meet current guidelines. Provision of coronary artery calcification (CAC) and carotid ultrasound (CUS) imaging results may motivate beneficial lifestyle changes. We scoped the exis...

Background/Objectives Few studies have investigated the association between dietary flavonoid intake, including all major subclasses, and the long-term risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD). We examined whether dietary flavonoid intake associated with IHD incidence, assessing the possible modifying role of sex and smoking, in participants from the D...

This study examined the association between dietary Vitamin K1 intake with fracture-related hospitalizations over 14.5 years in community-dwelling older Australian women (n = 1373, ≥70 years). Dietary Vitamin K1 intake at baseline (1998) was estimated using a validated food frequency questionnaire and a new Australian Vitamin K nutrient database, w...

Purpose Higher total fruit and vegetable (FV) intakes have been associated with lower perceived stress. The relationship between specific types of FV and perceived stress remains uncertain. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to explore the relationship between consumption of specific types of FV with perceived stress in a population-based...

We have previously shown that abdominal aortic calcification (AAC), a marker of advanced atherosclerotic disease, is weakly associated with reduced hip areal bone mineral density (aBMD). To better understand the vascular–bone health relationship, we explored this association with other key determinants of whole-bone strength and fracture risk at pe...

Mediterranean populations enjoy the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), but is it feasible to implement such a pattern beyond the Mediterranean region? The MedLey trial, a 6-month MedDiet intervention vs habitual diet in older Australians, demonstrated that the participants could maintain high adherence to a MedDiet for 6 months. The...

Aims: Psychological distress and changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) may occur after screening for disease. Reporting outcomes related to potential benefits and harms of screening is a key recommendation in the guidelines for reporting high-quality trials or interventions. However, no reviews have directly investigated outcomes relate...

Objectives Prolonged exposure to stress is a risk factor for mental and physical health problems (i.e., depression, cardiovascular disease). Although higher consumption of fruit and vegetables (FV) has been associated with lower perceived stress (PS), the relationship between specific FV types and PS remains uncertain. The aim of this cross-section...

Objectives Higher vegetable intakes are hypothesized to reduce the risk of developing diabetes but the findings are weak. Using Diet, Cancer and Health cohort, we aimed to 1) analyze the relationship between intakes of total vegetable, vegetable subgroups and incident diabetes, 2) analyze separately the association between intakes of total potatoes...

Purpose Dietary flavonoids are bioactive compounds that have been widely investigated for their associations with vascular health outcomes. As the development of tinnitus has been linked to vascular pathways, dietary flavonoids may have role in the prevention of tinnitus symptoms. This study reports the associations between the intakes of major cla...

An up-to-date nitrate food composition database of plant-based foods is lacking. Such a resource is imperative to obtain a robust assessment of dietary nitrate intakes and facilitate more empirical evaluation of health implications. We updated and expanded our 2017 vegetable nitrate database by including data published between 2016 – 2021 and data...

Background Dementia after the age of 80 years (late-life) is increasingly common due to vascular and non-vascular risk factors. Identifying individuals at higher risk of late-life dementia remains a global priority. Methods In prospective study of 958 ambulant community-dwelling older women (≥70 years), lateral spine images (LSI) captured in 1998...

Background and Aims Higher total fruit and vegetable (FV) intakes have been associated with lower perceived stress. However, the relationship of FV intake with domains of perceived stress is unclear. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship between consumption of FV and four perceived stress domains (worries, tension, l...

Sulfur is essential for the health of plants and is an indispensable dietary component for human health and disease prevention. Its incorporation into our food supply is heavily reliant upon the uptake of sulfur into plant tissue and our subsequent intake. Dietary requirements for sulfur are largely calculated based upon requirements for the sulfur...

This study provides evidence that consuming flavonoid-rich food may be protective against type 2 diabetes (T2DM) through mechanisms related to better glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity.

Introduction Higher flavonoid intakes are beneficially associated with pulmonary function parameters, however, their association with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unknown. This study aimed to examine associations between intakes of 1) total flavonoids, 2) flavonoid subclasses, and 3) major flavonoid compounds and incident COPD in...

Objective Examine if two inexpensive measures of atherosclerotic vascular diseases (ASVD), abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) provide complementary information for 10-year ASVD mortality and all-cause mortality risk in older women. Methods 908 community-dwelling women without prevalent ASVD (≥75...

Background The ratio of creatinine to cystatin C (Cr:Cyc) has been proposed as a biomarker of sarcopenia, as greater Cr:Cyc is typically associated with greater muscle mass. We examined the relationship between Cr:Cyc with individual sarcopenia measures, 5 y self-reported falls and 12 y fall-related hospitalizations in a prospective cohort study of...

Vitamin K content of foods is known to vary substantially by geographical location. In Australia, no Vitamin K database of food exists, thereby creating ambiguity when trying to develop national dietary intake guidelines. This investigation aimed to develop a Vitamin K database for commonly consumed foods that are commercially available in Australi...

Scope Nitrate and nitrite are approved food additives in some animal‐based food products. However, nitrate and nitrite in foods are strictly regulated due to health concerns over methaemoglobinaemia and the potential formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines. In contrast, plants (like leafy vegetables) naturally accumulate nitrate ions; a growing body...

PurposeTo assess whether dietary intake of flavonoids are associated with longitudinal treatment outcomes of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Methods547 participants with nAMD were recruited at baseline, 494 were followed-up after receiving 12 months of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy. B...

Background: Non-invasive screening for atherosclerosis or asymptomatic cardiovascular disease of the coronary and carotid arteries is commonly undertaken, and research has been focussed on how results from these screenings lead to behaviour change. However, no review has focused on the effects of these results on psychological distress and health-r...

An increasing body of evidence highlights the strong potential for a diet rich in fruit and vegetables to delay, and often prevent, the onset of chronic diseases, including cardiometabolic, neurological, and musculoskeletal conditions, and certain cancers. A possible protective component, glucosinolates, which are phytochemicals found almost exclus...

PurposeTo investigate the relationship of habitual FV intake, different types of FV, and vegetable diversity with depressive symptoms.Methods Australian men and women (n = 4105) aged > 25 years from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study were included. Dietary intake was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire at baseline, 5 and...

Reported associations between vitamin K 1 and both all-cause and cause-specific mortality are conflicting. The 56,048 participants from the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health prospective cohort study, with a median [IQR] age of 56 [52–60] years at entry and of whom 47.6% male, were followed for 23 years, with 14,083 reported deaths. Of these, 5015 dea...

Background: The dose-response relationship of vitamin D status and the risk of serious falls requiring hospitalization in older women is unclear. We examined the association between plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) with falls-related hospitalizations over 14.5 years in a large cohort of older women. Methods: In 1348 community-dwelling Australi...

Background Flavonoid-rich foods may contribute to a lower risk of ischemic stroke through their anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic, and anti-thrombotic properties. We aimed to examine the relationship between flavonoid intake and ischemic stroke incidence in participants from the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health study. Methods In this prospective...

Flavonoids have shown anti-hypertensive and anti-atherosclerotic properties: the impact of habitual flavonoid intake on vascular function, central hemodynamics and arterial stiffness may be important. We investigated the relationship between habitual flavonoid consumption and measures of central blood pressure and arterial stiffness. We performed c...

Background Dietary vitamin K (K 1 and K 2 ) may reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk via several mechanisms. However, studies linking vitamin K intake with incident ASCVD are limited. We aimed to determine the relationship between dietary vitamin K intake and ASCVD hospitalizations. Methods and Results In this prospective coh...

Whether the vascular effects of inorganic nitrate, observed in clinical trials, translate to a reduction in cardiovascular disease (CVD) with habitual dietary nitrate intake in prospective studies warrants investigation. We aimed to determine if vegetable nitrate, the major dietary nitrate source, is associated with lower blood pressure (BP) and lo...

Background Higher flavonoid intakes are hypothesised to confer protection against type 2 diabetes mellitus. Objective We aimed to 1) investigate associations between flavonoid intakes and diabetes, 2) examine the mediating impact of body fat, and 3) identify subpopulations that may receive the greatest benefit from higher flavonoid intakes in part...

Objectives Our objective was to examine whether dietary intakes of vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 were associated with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related and cancer-related mortality and to identify subpopulations that may benefit the most from higher vitamin K intakes. Methods Participants from the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Study co...

Background Fruit, but not fruit juice, intake is inversely associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, questions remain about the mechanisms by which fruits may confer protection. Aims were to examine associations between intake of fruit types and 1) measures of glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and 2) diabetes at follow-up....