Senior Research Fellow
BA(Psych honours) PhD
Lynne is a Senior Research Fellow who is part of the team evaluating the Early Years Initiative. This initiative seeks to improve the development, health and learning of children from conception to four years, and to create lasting change.
Lynne believes that to create lasting and impactful change, a systems science approach to implementation and evaluation at a community-level must be adopted. She has many years experience in this field mainly in the prevention of obesity and the promotion of mental health.
Lynne’s expertise was recognised through being awarded an Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Fellowship (2014-2016) to progress the science of systems approaches to public health.
She has led and/or been a team member on many large projects: the ACT IYM Project (a systems approach to adolescent obesity and mental health); the Pacific Obesity Prevention in communities Project, the COMPACT (Childhood Obesity Modelling for Prevention and Community Translation), the Systems Trial of Prevention Strategies for childhood obesity: WHO STOPS Childhood Obesity Project (CIB NHMRC Partnership Project APP1114118. $3,614,066.80. 2016 – 2021), YCHANGe (Yarriambiack Creating Healthy Active Nourished Generations), and NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Policy Research in Obesity and Food Systems.
Lynne holds a PhD in Public Health from Deakin University, Victoria.
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Publications
February 2024
Promoting mental well-being in Western Australia: Act Belong Commit® mental health promotion campaign partners’ perspectives
The Act Belong Commit® mental health promotion campaign aims to improve population mental well-being. Based on a social-franchising model, partnerships are sought with organizations offering 'mentally healthy activities' that foster social connectedness and mental well-being. There are four categories of partner organizations sought: Site (government agencies and health services), Associate (organizations with state-wide or national services), Community (local, grass-roots community groups) and Schools.
Published research Human Development and Community Wellbeing Mental healthDecember 2023The effectiveness of community friendship groups on participant social and mental health: a meta-analysis
Social disconnectedness and isolation are risk factors for poor mental health. Community-based friendship group interventions have been designed to increase an individual's social capital and consequently their mental wellbeing. Structured and unstructured friendship groups reflect two distinct approaches to friendship group interventions.
Published research Human Development and Community Wellbeing Mental healthSeptember 2023Intake of polyphenols from cereal foods and colorectal cancer risk in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study
Cereal-derived polyphenols have demonstrated protective mechanisms in colorectal cancer (CRC) models; however, confirmation in human studies is lacking. Therefore, this study examined the association between cereal polyphenol intakes and CRC risk in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study (MCCS), a prospective cohort study in Melbourne, Australia that recruited participants between 1990 and 1994 to investigate diet-disease relationships.
Published research Nutrition Human Development and Community Wellbeing Cancers (other)Jun 2023The Impact of the No Jab No Play and No Jab No Pay Legislation in Australia: A Scoping Review
Australia has a long history of population-based immunisation programs including legislations. This paper reports on a review of evaluations of the impact of the federal No Jab No Pay (NJNPay) and state implemented No Jab No Play (NJNPlay) legislations on childhood immunisation coverage and related parental attitudes.
Published research Early Childhood Development Immunisation Infectious Diseases Human Development and Community WellbeingMay 2023Estimated dietary intake of polyphenols from cereal foods and associated lifestyle and demographic factors in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study
Cereal foods are consumed globally and are important sources of polyphenols with potential health benefits, yet dietary intakes are unclear. We aimed to calculate the dietary intakes of polyphenols from cereal foods in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study, and describe intakes by demographic and lifestyle factors.
Published research Nutrition Human Development and Community WellbeingJuly 2022A mixed-methods evaluation of a health-promoting café located in a small health service in rural Victoria, Australia
Residents of rural areas internationally typically experience chronic disease risk profiles worse than city dwellers. Poor diet, a key driver of chronic disease, has been associated with unhealthy food environments, and rural areas often experience limited access to healthy, fresh and affordable food.
Published research Nutrition Human Development and Community Wellbeing -
Education and Qualifications
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Awards/Honours
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Active Collaborations