Tim Gill

Bio: Tim Gill is an academic researcher from University of Sydney. The author has contributed to research in topics: Population & Overweight. The author has an hindex of 36, co-authored 107 publications receiving 4267 citations. Previous affiliations of Tim Gill include Children's Hospital at Westmead & Deakin University.

Obesity prevention: a proposed framework for translating evidence into action.

Abstract: Obesity as a major public health and economic problem has risen to the top of policy and programme agendas in many countries, with prevention of childhood obesity providing a particularly compelling mandate for action There is widespread agreement that action is needed urgently, that it should be comprehensive and sustained, and that it should be evidence-based While policy and programme funding decisions are inevitably subject to a variety of historical, social, and political influences, a framework for defining their evidence base is needed This paper describes the development of an evidence-based, decision-making framework that is particularly relevant to obesity prevention Building upon existing work within the fields of public health and health promotion, the Prevention Group of the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) developed a set of key issues and evidence requirements for obesity prevention These were presented and discussed at an IOTF workshop in April 2004 and were then further developed into a practical framework The framework is defined by five key policy and programme issues that form the basis of the framework These are: (i) building a case for action on obesity; (ii) identifying contributing factors and points of intervention; (iii) defining the opportunities for action; (iv)evaluating potential interventions; and (v) selecting a portfolio of specific policies, programmes, and actions Each issue has a different set of evidence requirements and analytical outputs to support policy and programme decision-making Issue 4 was identified as currently the most problematic because of the relative lack of efficacy and effectiveness studies Compared with clinical decision-making where the evidence base is dominated by randomized controlled trials with high internal validity, the evidence base for obesity prevention needs many different types of evidence and often needs the informed opinions of stakeholders to ensure external validity and contextual relevance

A synthesis of existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses of school-based behavioural interventions for controlling and preventing obesity

Abstract: Schools are an attractive and popular setting for implementing interventions for children. There is a growing body of empirical research exploring the efficacy of school-based obesity prevention programs. While there have been several reviews on the topic, findings remain mixed. To examine the quality of evidence and compare the findings from existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses of school-based programs in the prevention and control of childhood obesity. This paper systematically appraises the methodology and conclusions of literature reviews examining the effectiveness of school-based obesity interventions published in English in peer-reviewed journals between January 1990 and October 2010. Eight reviews were examined, three meta-analyses and five systematic reviews. All of the reviews recognized that studies were heterogeneous in design, participants, intervention and outcomes. Intervention components in the school setting associated with a significant reduction of weight in children included long-term interventions with combined diet and physical activity and a family component. Several reviews also found gender differences in response to interventions. Of the eight reviews, five were deemed of high quality and yet limited evidence was found on which to base recommendations. As no single intervention will fit all schools and populations, further high-quality research needs to focus on identifying specific program characteristics predictive of success.

Age, period and birth cohort effects on prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australian adults from 1990 to 2000.

Abstract: To assess the individual contributions of age, period and birth cohort to prevalence of overweight and obesity in the Australian population during 1990 to 2000. Age-period-cohort Poisson regression modelling of data from National Health Surveys conducted in Australia in 1990, 1995 and 2000. Adults aged 20 years and over. Weightings were applied to account for differences in sampling and participation rates so that the sample is representative of the entire Australian adult population. Twelve age groups, based on 5-year intervals from 20 to 24 years to greater than 75 years, three survey periods and 14 cohorts, also based on 5-year intervals from pre-1915 up to 1976–1980, were used in the analysis. The data were age-standardized to the 2000 population and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Log-linear models, for the prevalence rates of overall overweight (BMI ⩾25) and of obesity (BMI ⩾30) were fitted to the data. Age (P<0.001), period (P<0.001) and cohort (P=0.002) all showed significant independent effects on prevalence of overall overweight in the Australian population such that prevalence rises with increasing age, recency of period and cohorts born since 1960. Age (P<0.001) and period (P<0.001) demonstrated strong effects on prevalence of obesity but birth cohort (P=0.07) was not significant. The effects were similar for men and women except that the overall effect of birth cohort on overall overweight was significant in women (P<0.05) but not men (P=0.09). The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australian adults continued to rise during the 1990s. The obesogenic environment seems to have worsened and more recently born cohorts may be at increased risk of overweight.

Digital junk: food and beverage marketing on Facebook.

Abstract: Objectives. We assessed the amount, reach, and nature of energy-dense, nutrient-poor (EDNP) food and beverage marketing on Facebook.Methods. We conducted a content analysis of the marketing techniques used by the 27 most popular food and beverage brand Facebook pages in Australia. We coded content across 19 marketing categories; data were collected from the day each page launched (mean = 3.65 years of activity per page).Results. We analyzed 13 international pages and 14 Australian-based brand pages; 4 brands (Subway, Coca-Cola, Slurpee, Maltesers) had both national and international pages. Pages widely used marketing features unique to social media that increase consumer interaction and engagement. Common techniques were competitions based on user-generated content, interactive games, and apps. Four pages included apps that allowed followers to place an order directly through Facebook. Adolescent and young adult Facebook users appeared most receptive to engaging with this content.Conclusions. By using the...

Management of Hyperglycemia in Type 2 Diabetes, 2018. A Consensus Report by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD)

Abstract: The American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes have briefly updated their 2018 recommendations on management of hyperglycemia, based on important research findings from large cardiovascular outcomes trials published in 2019. Important changes include: 1) the decision to treat high-risk individuals with a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist or sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), hospitalization for heart failure (hHF), cardiovascular death, or chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression should be considered independently of baseline HbA1c or individualized HbA1c target; 2) GLP-1 receptor agonists can also be considered in patients with type 2 diabetes without established cardiovascular disease (CVD) but with the presence of specific indicators of high risk; and 3) SGLT2 inhibitors are recommended in patients with type 2 diabetes and heart failure, particularly those with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, to reduce hHF, MACE, and CVD death, as well as in patients with type 2 diabetes with CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate 30 to ≤60 mL min-1 [1.73 m]-2 or urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >30 mg/g, particularly >300 mg/g) to prevent the progression of CKD, hHF, MACE, and cardiovascular death.

Will all Americans become overweight or obese? estimating the progression and cost of the US obesity epidemic.

Abstract: We projected future prevalence and BMI distribution based on national survey data (National Health and Nutrition Examination Study) collected between 1970s and 2004. Future obesity-related health-care costs for adults were estimated using projected prevalence, Census population projections, and published national estimates of per capita excess health-care costs of obesity/overweight. The objective was to illustrate potential burden of obesity prevalence and health-care costs of obesity and overweight in the United States that would occur if current trends continue. Overweight and obesity prevalence have increased steadily among all US population groups, but with notable differences between groups in annual increase rates. The increase (percentage points) in obesity and overweight in adults was faster than in children (0.77 vs. 0.46-0.49), and in women than in men (0.91 vs. 0.65). If these trends continue, by 2030, 86.3% adults will be overweight or obese; and 51.1%, obese. Black women (96.9%) and Mexican-American men (91.1%) would be the most affected. By 2048, all American adults would become overweight or obese, while black women will reach that state by 2034. In children, the prevalence of overweight (BMI >/= 95th percentile, 30%) will nearly double by 2030. Total health-care costs attributable to obesity/overweight would double every decade to 860.7-956.9 billion US dollars by 2030, accounting for 16-18% of total US health-care costs. We continue to move away from the Healthy People 2010 objectives. Timely, dramatic, and effective development and implementation of corrective programs/policies are needed to avoid the otherwise inevitable health and societal consequences implied by our projections .