Kathryn Beck

Massey University · School of Food and Nutrition

The global population is aging. Preserving function and independence of our aging population is paramount. A key component to maintaining independence is the preservation of cognitive function. Metabolomics can be used to identify biomarkers of cognition before noticeable deterioration. Our study investigated the plasma metabolome of 332 community-...

Purpose The global population is ageing. Evidence show dietary patterns may be associated with cognitive status in older adults. This cross-sectional study investigated associations between dietary patterns and cognitive function in older adults in New Zealand. Methods The REACH study (Researching Eating, Activity, and Cognitive Health) included 3...

Purpose of Review Adequate nutrition knowledge may influence dietary behaviour, and the performance and health of athletes. Assessment of the nutrition knowledge of athletes can inform practice and provide a quantitative way to evaluate education interventions. This article aims to review nutrition knowledge questionnaires published in the last 5 y...

A graph G is (doubly) chorded pancyclic if G contains a (doubly) chorded cycle of every possible length m for 4 ≤ m ≤ |V (G)|. In 2018, Cream, Gould, and Larsen completely characterized the pairs of forbidden sub-graphs that guarantee chorded pancyclicity in 2-connected graphs. In this paper, we show that the same pairs also imply doubly chorded pa...

Background Studies assessing links between maternal diet and pregnancy outcomes have focused predominantly on individual nutrients or foods. However, nutrients are typically consumed in combinations of foods or beverages (i.e., dietary patterns). Taking into account the diet as a whole appreciates that nutrient absorption and metabolism are influen...

Dietary intake is an important predictor of health and disease outcomes. This cross-sectional study evaluated the relative validity and reproducibility of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for assessing energy and nutrient intake in older adults. Dietary data were collected 2018–2019 in Auckland, New Zealand from a convenience...

Context: Establishing diet-disease associations requires reliable assessment of dietary intake. With the rapid advancement of metabolomics, its use in identifying objective biomarkers of dietary exposure has substantially increased. Objective: The aim of our review was to systematically combine all observational studies linking dietary intake pa...

Context: Optimizing nutrition in military groups through improved diet quality and nutrition knowledge is key in supporting the high physical and cognitive demands. Objective: The objective of this investigation was to systematically review the effectiveness of nutrition interventions among military personnel in improving diet quality and/or nut...

Background: The benefit of reducing sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is widely accepted, but updated and in-depth data on New Zealand (NZ) children's SSB consumption is lacking. The aims of this study were to describe beverage consumption, focusing on SSBs in primary school age children living in Auckland; to examine the association of s...

Background Effective population-based strategies are required to move towards healthy sustainable diets which replace a proportion of animal- with plant-based protein. Foodservice can support this using a variety of strategies across the food supply chain. Objective This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies to decrea...

Metabolic syndrome is common in older adults and may be modified by the diet. The aim of this study was to examine associations between a posteriori dietary patterns and metabolic syndrome in an older New Zealand population. The REACH study (Researching Eating, Activity, and Cognitive Health) included 366 participants (65-74 years, 36% male) living...

Optimising nutrition intake is a key component for supporting athletic performance and supporting adaption to training. Athletes often use micronutrient supplements in order to correct vitamin and mineral deficiencies, improve immune function, enhance recovery and or to optimise their performance. The aim of this review was to investigate the recen...

Background Valid and reproducible dietary patterns (DP) are necessary to assess relationships between diet and disease. This study, Researching Eating, Activity, and Cognitive Health (REACH), assessed the reproducibility and relative validity of DPs derived from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in older New Zealand adults. Methods Participants...

Objective To develop and evaluate the relative validity of a dietary diversity questionnaire (DDQ) that reflects food group diversity, food variety and micronutrient adequacy among New Zealand women. Research method & Procedures A cross-sectional study included New Zealand women (Auckland-based, 16-45 years; n=101), completing a seven-day DDQ and...

Background: Dietary pattern analysis considers the overall dietary intake and combinations of foods eaten. Valid and reproducible tools for determining dietary patterns are necessary to assess diet-disease relationships. Objective: This study evaluated the relative validity and reproducibility of the Researching Eating, Activity, and Cognitive H...

Aims To evaluate the nutrition knowledge of elite Australian athletes, and to obtain feedback from sports dietitians on the Platform to Evaluate Athlete Knowledge of Sports Nutrition Questionnaires' (PEAKS-NQ) suitability. Methods Sports dietitians from the National Institute Network across Australia recruited athletes to complete the online, 50-i...

Objectives To investigate associations between one-carbon metabolites and cognitive performance in older adults, and to examine the interactive effects of B vitamin intake, apolipoprotein E genotype, and one-carbon metabolites on cognition. Methods Three hundred and thirteen healthy older men and women (65–74 years, 65% female) were included in th...

Background Aging is associated with decreases in muscle strength and simultaneous changes in body composition, including decreases in muscle mass, muscle quality and increases in adiposity. Methods Adults (n = 369; 236 females) aged 65–74 years living independently were recruited from the cross-sectional Researching Eating Activity and Cognitive H...

Background Donor selection is an important factor influencing the engraftment and efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for complex conditions associated with microbial dysbiosis. However, the degree, variation, and stability of strain engraftment have not yet been assessed in the context of multiple donors. Methods We conducted a dou...

BACKGROUND The complementary feeding period is a time of unparalleled dietary change for every human, during which the diet changes from one that is 100% milk to a diet that resembles that of the wider family, in less than a year. Despite this major dietary shift, we know relatively little about food and nutrient intake in infants worldwide, and vi...

Background The complementary feeding period is a time of unparalleled dietary change for every human, during which the diet changes from one that is 100% milk to one that resembles the usual diet of the wider family in less than a year. Despite this major dietary shift, we know relatively little about food and nutrient intake in infants worldwide a...

Aims: The incidence of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing in children. Early identification of pre-diabetes is an important first step in preventing the progression to T2DM. The aim was to investigate the association of selected factors with pre-diabetes in children. Methods: This data were from a subset of the 685 ch...

Using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to assess body composition in children has limitations including expense, lack of portability, and exposure to radiation. The aims of this study were to examine: (1) validity of quantitative ultrasound (QUS) against DXA for measuring bone density and (2) the validity of in-built algorithm of bioelectrical imped...

While athletes’ nutrient intakes have been widely reported, few studies have assessed the diet quality of athletes. This is the first study to evaluate the diet quality of athletes using the purpose-built Athlete Diet Index (ADI). A convenience sample of 165 elite athletes from Australian sporting institutions completed the ADI online, with subsequ...

Importance Treatment of pediatric obesity is challenging. Preclinical studies in mice indicated that weight and metabolism can be altered by gut microbiome manipulation. Objective To assess efficacy of fecal microbiome transfer (FMT) to treat adolescent obesity and improve metabolism. Design, Setting, and Participants This randomized, double-mask...

Introduction Maternal obesity during pregnancy is associated with adverse changes in body composition and metabolism in the offspring. We hypothesise that supplementation during pregnancy of overweight and obese women may help prevent the development of greater adiposity and metabolic dysfunction in children. Previous clinical trials investigating...

Metabolic diseases are increasing among adolescents with obesity. Although the reported prevalence of metabolic syndrome is approximately 30% worldwide, its prevalence is largely unknown among New Zealand adolescents. Therefore, we assessed the health of adolescents with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) enrolled in a randomised clinical trial (Gut Bugs Tri...

Reliable and valid assessment of sports nutrition knowledge can inform athlete nutrition education to address knowledge gaps. This study aimed to test the reliability and validity of an electronically administered sports nutrition knowledge tool – Platform to Evaluate Athlete Knowledge of Sports Nutrition Questionnaire (PEAKS-NQ). A 94-item PEAKS-N...

Background Donor selection is an important factor influencing the engraftment and efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for complex conditions associated with microbial dysbiosis. However, the degree, variation, and stability of strain engraftment has not yet been assessed in the context of multiple donors. Methods We conducted a doubl...

Diet quality indices are a practical, cost-effective method to evaluate dietary patterns, yet few have investigated diet quality in athletes. This study describes the relative validity and reliability of the recently developed Athlete Diet Index (ADI). Participants completed the electronic ADI on two occasions, two weeks apart, followed by a four-d...

With rising childcare enrollments, caregivers have a unique opportunity to promote children’s nutrition education and healthy eating. Accurately identifying nutrition knowledge gaps amongst caregivers is necessary for professional development planning. Our aim was to design an early childhood education and care (ECEC) teacher nutrition knowledge qu...

Objectives: To investigate associations between body composition and muscle strength in older [...]

Factures are common during childhood. There are limited data available regarding relationships between bone fracture history and calcium intake, sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) intake, vitamin D status, physical activity (PA), ethnicity, and body composition in New Zealand (NZ) children. Identifying groups of NZ children at risk of fracture and as...

Background: The role of vitamin D and omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 LCPUFA) in improving core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children has been investigated by a few randomised controlled trials and the results are mixed and inconclusive. The response to treatment with these nutrients is heterogenous and may...

Background: Sports nutrition knowledge (SNK) is essential for athletes to support selection of a diet to optimize sports performance. Unfortunately, assessment of SNK is limited by a lack of well-validated instruments. Valid assessment of SNK would assist in identifying gaps in athlete knowledge, as well as tailoring and evaluating nutrition educat...

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major cause of disability worldwide and in New Zealand, and a huge burden on the individual and society. [...]

Background and objectives: Iron deficiency is prevalent in New Zealand, with low dietary haem intake and blood loss previously identified as risk factors. However, the influence of the hormone hepcidin on iron status has not been investigated. Methods and study design: Females (n=170) aged 18-45 residing in Auckland participated in a cross-secti...

Dietary patterns examine how combinations of foods are eaten. Little is known about the dietary patterns of older adults living in New Zealand, and how these dietary patterns are associated with various socio-demographic factors. [...]

Dietary patterns analyse how combinations of foods are eaten. Little is known about the dietarypatterns of older adults living in New Zealand [...]

A plethora of studies have investigated the relationship. [...]

Background: Vitamin D and omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated. [...]

Food-based diet indices provide a practical, rapid, and inexpensive way of evaluating dietary intake. Rather than nutrients, diet indices assess the intake of whole foods and dietary patterns, and compare these with nutrition guidelines. An athlete-specific diet index would offer an efficient and practical way to assess the quality of athletes’ die...

Background A range of nutrition education strategies are used to assist athletes to improve nutrition knowledge. Evaluation of nutrition education interventions guides the delivery of efficacious nutrition education for athletes. Aim Our aim was to systematically review sport/general nutrition education interventions delivered to athletes, and to...

Aim: To investigate vitamin D status and its determinants in school-aged children living in Auckland, New Zealand. Methods: Healthy children (n=507) aged 8-11 years were recruited from six primary schools to include a range of ethnicities and sociodemographic characteristics. Finger-prick blood spots were collected and analysed for capillary 25-...

Dietary assessment in infants is challenging but necessary to understand the relationship between nutrition and growth and development. Currently no simple, validated methods exist to assess nutrient intake in New Zealand (NZ) infants. Therefore this study aimed to assess the relative validity and reproducibility of a complementary food frequency q...

Food-based diet indices provide a practical, rapid and inexpensive way of evaluating dietary intake. Rather than nutrients, diet indices assess intake of whole foods and dietary patterns, and compare these to nutrition guidelines. An athlete-specific diet index would offer an efficient and practical way to assess the quality of athletes’ diets, gui...

Many pregnant women rely on their health professional for nutrition information during routine antenatal visits. This review offers information to assist health professionals with advising pregnant women of the important nutrition considerations during pregnancy. The roles of some of the key nutrients are discussed, including folic acid, iodine, ir...

Objectives: To explore indicators of T2DM risk in a multi-ethnic group of children, using HbA1c as the dependent variable. Methods: This data was from a subset of the 730 children recruited for the Children's Bone Study, a cross-sectional study of 8-11 year-old children in Auckland, New Zealand. Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was measured from a f...

Background Loss of cognitive function is a significant issue as the world’s population ages. Preserving cognitive function maintains independence in older adults bringing major societal and financial benefits. Lifestyle factors such as diet are modifiable risk factors, which may help preserve cognitive function. Most nutrition research aimed at pre...

We evaluated the efficacy of vitamin D (VID), omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 LCPUFA, OM), or both (VIDOM) on core symptoms of ASD. New Zealand children with ASD (n = 73; aged 2.5–8.0 years) received daily 2000 IU vitamin D3, 722 mg docosahexaenoic acid, both, or placebo. Outcome measures were Social Responsiveness Scale (SR...

Background: The efficacy of vitamin D and omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated [...]

Introduction Animal studies showed that germ-free mice inoculated with normal mouse gut bacteria developed obesity, insulin resistance and higher triglyceride levels, despite similar food intake. In humans, an association has been found between obesity and gut microbiome dysbiosis. However, gut microbiome transfer has not been evaluated for the tre...

Background: Dietary assessment in infants is challenging but necessary to understand therelationship between nutrition and growth and development [...]

Decreases in Fe status have been reported in military women during initial training periods of 8–10 weeks. The present study aimed to characterise Fe status and associations with physical performance in female New Zealand Army recruits during a 16-week basic combat training (BCT) course. Fe status indicators – Hb, serum ferritin (sFer), soluble tra...

Background: The incidence of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing inchildren around the world [...]

Background: Sugar sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption has a positive relationship withunhealthy weight gain in children [...]

Background: Decreases in iron status have been reported [...]

Background: Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is a well-regarded device for primarilymeasuring bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition. [...]

This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the Dietary Index for a Child's Eating (DICE) in children living in New Zealand (NZ). Caregivers of healthy children aged 2‐8 years completed a four‐day estimated food record (4DFR) for their child, and completed the DICE online on two separate occasions, eight‐weeks apart. Relative validi...

Irritability and hyperactivity are common in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Because pharmacological treatments may have adverse effects, and despite limited evidence, caregivers/parents often use dietary supplements such as vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids to address these behavioural symptoms. As a secondary objective of the VIDOMA...

Aim In New Zealand, there are few adequate food frequency questionnaires for assessing dietary intake. This study aimed to develop and assess the relative validity of a multi‐nutrient, culturally appropriate, semi‐quantitative food frequency questionnaire for use in young adult New Zealand women (the New Zealand Women's Food Frequency Questionnaire...

The aim of this study was to compare food fussiness, weight, serious choking, and early feeding characteristics in babies following Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) and babies following traditional spoon-feeding (TSF) at 6-7 months of age. The First Foods New Zealand Internet Survey recruited 876 New Zealand caregivers of children aged 6-36 months through so...

Purpose: To investigate associations between dietary patterns, socio-demographic factors and anthropometric measurements in adult New Zealanders. Methods: Dietary patterns were identified using factor analysis in adults 15 years plus (n = 4657) using 24-h diet recall data from the 2008/09 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey. Multivariate regressi...

Sports nutrition recommendations provide guidance on dietary strategies to optimise sports performance. However, research indicates that young athletes often find it difficult to follow these guidelines in practice. Limited research exists on the determinants that influence adherence to sports nutrition guidelines. This study aimed to explore the p...

Dairy products are an important component of many human diets, and contain high levels of calcium, phosphate, and milk proteins including casein, whey, and bioactive peptides (all potential inhibitors of iron absorption). Results have been conflicting with regard to the effects of dairy products on nonheme iron absorption. Calcium supplementation h...

Dietary assessment methods that are recognized as appropriate for the general population are usually applied in a similar manner to athletes, despite the knowledge that sport-specific factors can complicate assessment and impact accuracy in unique ways. As dietary assessment methods are used extensively within the field of sports nutrition, there i...

Dietary assessment methods recognized as appropriate for the general population are usually applied in a similar manner to athletes, despite knowledge that sport-specific factors can complicate assessment and impact accuracy in unique ways. As dietary assessment methods are used extensively within the field of sports nutrition, there is concern the...