Stephanie R. Partridge

The University of Sydney · Westmead Applied Research Centre

There is growing recognition that young people should be given opportunities to participate in the decisions that affect their lives, such as advisory groups, representative councils, advocacy or activism. Positive youth development theory and sociopolitical development theory propose pathways through which youth participation can influence mental...

Research has established associations between poor mental health and lifestyle risk behaviors among adolescents, yet gaps exist in understanding whether digital health interventions for adolescents targeting these behaviors will improve mental health and wellbeing. This study aimed to evaluate how effective digital health interventions targeting li...

Background: COVID-19 lockdowns caused widespread closures of supportive care services for breast cancer survivors in Australia. In a randomized controlled trial, our team's lifestyle-focused, evidence-based SMS text message support program (EMPOWER-SMS COVID-19) was found to be acceptable and useful for breast cancer survivors, and it was ready fo...

The Eating Disorders In weight-related Therapy (EDIT) Collaboration brings together data from randomised controlled trials of behavioural weight management interventions to identify individual participant risk factors and intervention strategies that contribute to eating disorder risk. We present a protocol for a systematic review and individual pa...

Background Digital interventions may help address low vegetable intake in adults, however there is limited understanding of the features that make them effective. We systematically reviewed digital interventions to increase vegetable intake to 1) describe the effectiveness of the interventions; 2) examine links between effectiveness and use of co-d...

Background: Adolescent consumer engagement is widely accepted, with global calls to meaningfully involve adolescents for effective and tailored policy and guideline development. However, it is still unclear if and how adolescents are engaged. The aim of this review was to determine if and how adolescents meaningfully participate in policy and guid...

Background: COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns led to the closure of most in-person pulmonary rehabilitation programs in Australia. Text message programs are effective for delivering health support to aid the self-management of people with chronic diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the implementation of a six-month pre-post text message support progr...

BACKGROUND COVID-19 lockdowns caused widespread closures of supportive care services for breast cancer survivors in Australia. In a randomized controlled trial, our team’s lifestyle-focused, evidence-based SMS text message support program (EMPOWER-SMS COVID-19) was found to be acceptable and useful for breast cancer survivors, and it was ready for...

The Eating Disorders In weight-related Therapy (EDIT) Collaboration brings together data from randomised controlled trials of behavioural weight management interventions to identify individual participant risk factors and intervention strategies that contribute to eating disorder risk. We present a protocol for a systematic review and individual pa...

Online food delivery (OFD) platforms have become increasingly popular due to advanced technology, which is changing the way consumers purchase food prepared outside of the home. There is limited research investigating the healthiness of the digital food environment and its influence on consumer choice and dietary behaviours. This study is the first...

Adolescence and young adulthood (AYA) are formative life stages, second only to the first 1000 days. Yet young people have historically been 'forgotten' in our health system. Major health risk factors, like adolescent obesity, have largely been left untreated, resulting in significant chronic disease burdens and health costs later in life. In Austr...

Background: Reducing lifestyle risk behaviors among adolescents depends on access to age-appropriate health promotion information. Chatbots-computer programs designed to simulate conversations with human users-have the potential to deliver health information to adolescents to improve their lifestyle behaviors and support behavior change, but resea...

BACKGROUND Reducing lifestyle risk behaviors among adolescents depends on access to age-appropriate health promotion information. Chatbots—computer programs designed to simulate conversations with human users—have the potential to deliver health information to adolescents to improve their lifestyle behaviors and support behavior change, but researc...

Background Adolescence presents a window of opportunity to establish good nutrition and physical activity behaviours to carry throughout the life course. Adolescents are at risk of developing cardiovascular and other chronic diseases due to poor the complex interplay of physical and mental health lifestyle risk factors. Text messaging is adolescent...

Background: in this protocol we outline a method of working alongside Aboriginal communities to learn about and facilitate improvement in the oral health habits in Aboriginal adolescents. By facilitating positive oral health in Aboriginal adolescents, we hope to achieve lifelong improvement in oral health and general wellbeing. Methods: this pap...

Mobile-based ecological momentary assessment (mEMA) offers a novel method for dietary assessment and may reduce recall bias and participant burden. This review evaluated mEMA methodology and the feasibility, acceptability and validity as a dietary assessment method in young people. Five databases were searched from January 2008 to September 2021 fo...

Aim: To determine the proportion of research projects funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council and Australian Research Council research funding from 2014 to 2021 that aimed to understand or improve dietary behaviours for at-risk populations in Australia and estimate the proportion of total funding allocated during this period. M...

PURPOSE Ongoing supportive care using electronic health (eHealth) interventions has the potential to provide remote support and improve health outcomes for patients with breast cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of eHealth interventions on patient-reported outcomes (quality of life [QOL], self-efficacy, and mental or physical he...

Purpose The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy, feasibility and acceptability of a co-designed lifestyle-focused text message intervention (EMPOWER-SMS) for breast cancer survivors’ self-efficacy, quality of life (QOL), mental (anxiety, depression, stress) and physical (endocrine therapy medication adherence, physical activity, BMI) heal...

BACKGROUND Digital health interventions, including apps and web-based services, are on the rise due to their facilitated access to target groups. The constant evolution of technology calls for participatory research methodologies to understand youth expectations and use. The creative and collaborative nature of co-design allows for active integrati...

Background Digital health interventions, including apps and web-based services, are on the rise due to their facilitated access to target groups. The constant evolution of technology calls for participatory research methodologies to understand youth expectations and the use of technology. The creative and collaborative nature of co-design allows fo...

Issue addressed: Obesity is a significant health challenge facing adolescents. There is a critical need for Government action to support all adolescents to improve risk factors for obesity. This study critically appraised initiatives, guidelines and policies (termed "strategies") from local health districts (LHDs), specialty health Networks and Pr...

Energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods, otherwise known as junk foods, have never been more accessible and available. Young people are bombarded with unhealthy junk-food choices daily, and this can lead to life-long dietary habits that are difficult to undo. In this article, we explore the scientific evidence behind both the short-term and long-term imp...

Online food delivery usage has soared during the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which has seen increased demand for home-delivery during government mandated stay-at-home periods. Resulting implications from COVID-19 may threaten decades of development gains. It is becoming increasingly more important for the global community to progress...

The role of portion control plates in achieving healthy diets is unclear. The aim of this scoping review was to systematically map findings from peer reviewed and grey literature to provide evidence for the use of portion control plates to promote healthy eating and nutrition-related knowledge in children and adults. A secondary aim was to review t...

Background: Traditionally, adolescent participation in research has been tokenistic. Adolescents are rarely afforded the opportunity to influence decision-making in research designed to prevent obesity. Engaging adolescents in meaningful decision-making may enhance research translation. This review aimed to analyze the current modes and nature of a...

To evaluate the digital platforms most used by adolescents for healthy lifestyle information, perceived helpfulness of platform information, helpfulness for positive behaviour changes, and quality of platforms’ lifestyle health information. Mixed-methods study including a cross-sectional online survey and content analysis. Eligible participants wer...

BACKGROUND Adolescence is a critical life stage characterised by an interplay of biological, social and environmental factors. Such factors influence lifestyle health related trajectories, including dietary behaviours, physical activity levels, body weight and sleep hygiene. Generation Z (born 1995-2015) are the most internet-dependent and technolo...

Background Adolescence is a critical life stage characterized by an interplay of biological, social, and environmental factors. Such factors influence lifestyle health-related trajectories, including dietary behaviors, physical activity levels, body weight, and sleep. Generation Z (born 1995-2015) is the most internet-dependent and technologically...

Background: Supporting healthy lifestyle changes is a key aim of cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation programs. SMS text messaging programs have demonstrated effectiveness in cardiovascular disease risk reduction, weight loss, increasing physical activity, and smoking cessation. The optimization of SMS text messaging programs may deliver gr...

PurposeThis study aims to evaluate the reach, usefulness, acceptability, and factors influencing engagement with a lifestyle-focused text message intervention to support women’s mental and physical health after breast cancer treatment.Methods This study uses a mixed-methods process evaluation nested in the EMPOWER-SMS randomised controlled trial (n...

Objective To explore the promotion of discretionary foods/beverages and marketing strategies employed by the top three online food delivery services (OFDS) Instagram accounts in three countries before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design Publicly available data were extracted for the top three OFDS Instagram accounts for Australia, United King...

Online food delivery (OFD) platforms have changed how consumers purchase food prepared outside of home by capitalising on convenience and smartphone technology. Independent food outlets encompass a substantial proportion of partnering outlets, but their offerings’ nutritional quality is understudied. Little is also known as to how OFD platforms inf...

Background: Social media is a source of weight loss information for adolescents. However, engagement with image-based social media has been associated with reduced body image. This study describes weight loss imagery visible on an adolescent Instagram account. Methods: The "top" 600 images were captured from "#weightloss" on an adolescent (16 year...

BACKGROUND Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide. Recovery from breast cancer treatment can be mentally and physically challenging. Text message programs offer a novel way to provide health information and support but few programs are co-designed with consumer representatives. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to co-design and pil...

Background Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women globally. Recovery from breast cancer treatment can be mentally and physically challenging. SMS text message programs offer a novel way to provide health information and support, but few programs are co-designed with consumer representatives. Objective This study aims to report the proc...

BACKGROUND Supporting healthy lifestyle change is a key aim of cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation programs. Text messaging programs have demonstrated effectiveness in cardiovascular disease risk reduction, weight loss, increasing physical activity and smoking cessation. Optimisation of text message programs may deliver greater population b...

Adolescents (10–24 years old) account for 23% of the global population. Physical inactivity, suboptimal dietary intake, overweight, and obesity during adolescence are risk factors associated with chronic disease development into adulthood. Research, policies, and guidelines that seek to prevent chronic disease risk factor development rarely engage...

The demand for convenience and the increasing role of digital technology in everyday life has fueled the use of online food delivery services (OFD's), of which young people are the largest users globally. OFD's are disrupting traditional food environments, yet research evaluating the public health implications of such services is lacking. We evalua...

Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) represent a paradigm shift in the treatment of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) with major practice guidelines around the world recommending NOACs over vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants for initial treatment of AF for stroke prevention. Here we describe the evidence collated and the p...

Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) represent a paradigm shift in the treatment of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) with major practice guidelines around the world recommending NOACs over vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants for initial treatment of AF for stroke prevention. Here we describe the evidence collated and the p...

Only 5% of Australian children and adults eat enough fruit and vegetables. Two common barriers are high cost and limited access. Food co-operatives (‘co-ops’) may have the potential to reduce these barriers. We conducted a scoping analysis of food co-ops in the Sydney region to describe their characteristics and objectives. We also conducted a surv...

Background: The major risk factors driving the global burden of disease are diet related. Adolescence presents a window of opportunity for establishing healthy dietary trajectories. Yet around the world, adolescents experience many barriers that prevent them from consuming diets that would give them the foundation for long, healthy and productive...

It is the position of Dietitians Australia that clients can receive high‐quality and effective dietetic services such as Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) delivered via telehealth. Outcomes of telehealth‐delivered dietetic consultations are comparable to those delivered in‐person, without requiring higher levels of additional training nor compromisin...

Eating healthy foods to look after your body’s overall health is important, but as a young person you often have other things on your mind, like climate change and mental health. Interestingly, the food we eat affects our planet’s health, our mental health, and our sleep! In this article, we talk about five reasons, other than your body’s health, t...

Aim This review aimed to synthesise the evidence on the effectiveness of dietary interventions targeting adolescents (>13 years) and adults living in rural or remote Australia. Methods Six electronic databases were searched to identify dietary interventions undertaken in rural or remote communities. Studies were included if they utilised interven...

Background Obesity is among the most significant health challenges facing today’s adolescents. Weight gain during adolescence is related to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers in later life. Presently, adolescents living in Australia have limited access to age-appropriate obesity prevention services. Objective This study aims...

Sleep is emerging as a modifiable risk factor in counteracting harmful weight gain. Electronic and mobile devices offer a channel for wide‐reaching intervention delivery. This systematic review aimed to determine the efficacy of interventions that included sleep behaviour as part of health promotion for preventing weight gain. Seven databases were...

Adolescents need access to interactive and high-quality online health information about strategies to reduce their risk for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study aimed to evaluate the quality, readability and interactivity of webpages with adolescent-specific information on NCD risk factors. Included web pages were: (i) Australian-based; (ii...

Text messages remain a preferred way for adolescents to communicate, and recent evidence suggests adolescents would like access to digital healthcare options. However, there is limited evidence for text messages to engage adolescent populations in obesity prevention behaviors. We aimed to co-design a bank of text messages that are evidence-based, a...

People are cooking at home less often and relying more on food prepared outside of the home, which is often of less nutritional value than home-cooked meals. The foodservice industry has endeavored to address barriers with the introduction of commercial meal kit subscription services (MKSSs). We aimed to assess and compare the nutritional qualities...

BACKGROUND Incidence of obesity among adolescents is increasing. Text messages are a primary communication form for adolescents and potentially a scalable strategy for delivering population health interventions. OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness of text message interventions on body mass index (BMI) in adolescents and describe characteristi...

Background: The incidence of obesity among adolescents is increasing. Text messages are a primary communication form for adolescents and potentially a scalable strategy for delivering population health interventions. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of text message interventions in reducing BMI in adolescents and descri...

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women worldwide. In developed countries, 80-90% of women will survive five years after diagnosis but the transition from hospital-based care to health self-management and self-efficacy can be difficult. Text messaging programs offer a simple and proven way to provide support to peopl...

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide. Chances of living one-year after diagnosis are high (~98%), and health self-management is essential to reduce risks of recurrence. Mobile health (mHealth) has emerged as a wide-reaching and cost-effective way of providing health information and support. Therefore, we conduct...

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally. Early atherosclerotic changes can begin to occur early in life and though adolescence. The prevalence of modifiable CVD risk factors, namely, smoking, poor diet quality, excessive alcohol intake, physical inactivity, and overweight and obesity can exacerbate the early onset of ath...

Young adulthood is a period of transition, which for many includes higher education. Higher education is associated with specific risks to wellbeing. Understanding the available data on wellbeing in this group may help inform the future collection of data to inform policy and practice in the sector. This scoping review aimed to identify the availab...

Objectives: Consumers routinely seek health and nutrition-related information from online sources, including social media platforms. This study identified popular online nutrition content to examine the advice and assess alignment with the Australian Guideline to Healthy Eating (AGHE).Methods: We used Facebook page likes as an indicator of populari...

Issue addressed Intakes of fruit and vegetables in children are inadequate. Our purpose was to examine national data on the proportion of Australian children meeting the fruit and vegetable recommendations in 2011‐12 and 2014‐2015, assessing changes over time and differences by age, sex and socio‐economic status (SES). Methods Secondary analysis o...

Obesity is one of the greatest health challenges facing today’s adolescents. Dietary interventions are the foundation of obesity prevention and management. As adolescents are digital frontrunners and early adopters of technology, digital health interventions appear the most practical modality for dietary behavior change interventions. Despite the r...