
Dr Lee Ashton
Postdoctoral Fellow
School of Health Sciences
- Email:lee.ashton@newcastle.edu.au
- Phone:(02) 4913 8034
Cut-through health messages for young adults
Dr Lee Ashton's research in the areas of health and nutrition is helping to deliver critical information to a notoriously hard-to-reach group: young Australian adults.
Dr Lee Ashton and his research team are developing targeted digital tools, including the No Money, No Time website, to help debunk damaging diet myths and get research-informed health and nutrition messages into the hands of young Australians—especially young men.
Lee shares that this age range, between 18 and 25 years, is often when positive diet and health habits give way under key transitions, busy schedules and responsibilities, leading to poor health behaviours that can hang around for a lifetime.
“We know from research that positive (and negative) health behaviours established during this transition to adulthood persist through to later life, so it’s absolutely imperative to make those positive changes while people are still young”.
Lee explains that by delivering timely nutrition information to young people, the team’s innovative digital tools have the potential to enhance this group’s long-term health, which in turn, could dramatically reduce healthcare costs, premature mortality and the prevalence of chronic diseases.
“There is a lot of dietary misinformation out there and it’s difficult to provide evidence-based health and nutrition information that appeals to this age group. By providing credible advice, we hope to help Australians make long-term positive changes to their health and diet.”
No money, no time
Lee’s ultimate goal is to help connect more young people with the information they need to stay fit and healthy, and they do this in a variety of ways. Over the past couple of years, his team has run a massive online open course (MOOC) called the Science of Weight Loss: Dispelling Diet Myths, which has seen incredibly positive engagement from a national and global audience.
“The course has attracted more than 57,000 students from over 180 countries.”
More recently, Lee and his team developed a novel healthy eating website called No Money, No Time, which received support from partners nib foundation. The website has involved experts from a range of disciplines such as specialists in User-Experience (UX), digital health, marketing and science communication. The cross-disciplinary team worked together to turn complex research data into easily digestible diet information for busy young people who are often managing competing family and career responsibilities, turning healthy eating habits into an afterthought.
“Diet has a direct impact on most of the leading causes of death worldwide. Yet, 98 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds in Australia fail to meet their daily fruit and vegetable requirements, and over a third of their diet comes from discretionary ‘junk’ foods.
“As a result, young adults have the highest rate of weight gain compared with any other adult age group, with an average of one kilogram gained per year from early adulthood to middle-age.”
No Money, No Time directly acknowledges the dual challenges of limited time and money—the hallmarks of this life stage—to deliver more relevant and practical information for young Australians. The website includes meal hacks and quick, cheap and healthy meal ideas, which can be easily filtered by available kitchen equipment. It also tailors content based on relevant motivators, such as sports performance targets or maintaining a healthy weight. The audience’s most common questions are addressed by experts, and users have their own personal dashboard on the website to suit their diet goals.
An embedded dietary assessment tool on the site, The Healthy Eating Quiz, rates how healthy an individual’s eating habits are in comparison to dietary guidelines and provides a personalised feedback report to help identify areas in their diet for improvement.
An ear to the ground
No Money, No Time is informed by young people themselves—their preferences, challenges and motivators—to help overcome stubborn obstacles that prevent behavioural change. The website has the software ‘Hotjar’ installed on the site so users can provide feedback, allowing the website to be continually improve and tailored, and to inform future projects.
The No Money, No Time website also draws learning from Lee’s PhD work, The HEYMAN program, which developed a pilot healthy lifestyle program for young men in the Hunter and showed strong improvements across their diets, activity levels, cholesterol levels and mental health over a three-month period.
“I am always excited to see a program I have developed or been involved with make a difference to the health behaviours of people using it.”
Already, the No Money, No Time website has garnered more than 25,000 user engagements and over 12,000 account sign-ups. On this platform and elsewhere, Lee is steadily increasing his reach and paving the way for better health among young adults across Australia.
“Knowing that the work we are doing is helping people to make long-term positive changes to their health and helping to reduce the risk of preventable chronic diseases later in life—that’s what makes it all worthwhile.”
Cut-through health messages for young adults
Dr Lee Ashton’s research in the areas of health and nutrition is helping to deliver critical information to a notoriously hard-to-reach group: young Australian adults.
Career Summary
Biography
Dr. Ashton is a post-doctoral researcher at the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition and the School of Health Sciences. He was awarded his PhD from the University of Newcastle in March 2017. He also completed a Master of Science in Nutrition, Obesity & Health at the University of Leeds (UK) in 2011 and a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science at Leeds Beckett University (UK) in 2010.
Dr. Ashton's research focuses on the development and evaluation of user-driven, gender-tailored healthy lifestyle programs using innovative technologies to improve physical activity, eating habits and well-being in young adults. Dr Ashton is creating a research profile in chronic disease prevention, young adult's health, eHealth, participatory research and health behaviour change interventions.
Research Expertise
- Developing and testing participatory based healthy lifestyle interventions for young adults (aged 18-25).
- Conducting randomised controlled trials of public health interventions.
- Designing and testing eHealth interventions in young adults
- Examining the utility of Behaviour Change Techniques to explain and predict behaviours and other health outcomes.
- Conducting systematic reviews of the effectiveness of health behaviour change interventions in young men
- Undertaking Qualitative (i.e.,focus groups) and quantitative research (i.e., surveys) to inform intervention design.
- Dietary Assessment
Currently Dr Ashton is leading management of the 'No Money No Time (NMNT)' website which aims to improve the eating habits of young adults aged 18-25 years. No Money No Time provides quick, cheap and easy healthy meal ideas along with evidence based resources to help set long-term healthy eating behaviours. The NMNT website also addresses common dietary FAQ's such as How healthy is my diet? with a section on debunking diet myths, food hacks and FAQ's to address any confusion around food and nutrition. Dr Ashton is also working on re-branding and re-building a highly robust and free dietary assessment tool - The Healthy Eating Quiz
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Newcastle
- Bachelor of Science (Honours), University of Leeds - UK
- Master of Science, University of Leeds - UK
Keywords
- Nutrition
- Obesity Prevention
- Participatory research
- Physical activity
- Systematic review
- Young adult's health
Fields of Research
Code | Description | Percentage |
---|---|---|
111199 | Nutrition and Dietetics not elsewhere classified | 100 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
Title | Organisation / Department |
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Research Academic | University of Newcastle School of Education Australia |
Professional appointment
Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
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2/5/2011 - 21/12/2012 | Research Assistant | Clinical Trial Research Unit - University of Leeds United Kingdom |
1/9/2014 - 30/6/2016 | Volunteer - Youth Brains Trust Member | Young and Well Co-operative Research Centre Australia |
1/6/2015 - 30/6/2016 | Project Sub-committee Member | Young and Well Co-operative Research Centre Australia |
28/1/2013 - 14/10/2016 | Casual Research Assistant | PRC in Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle Australia |
Awards
Award
Year | Award |
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2018 |
nib foundation youth week NSW champion nib Foundation |
2017 |
International Award for Best Student Oral Presentation International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity |
2017 |
Best Theme Paper 2017 (Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition University of Newcastle) Priority Research Centre for Physical Acivity and Nutrition |
2015 |
Student Travel Grant Nutrition Society Australia |
2015 |
Best RHD publication (Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition) The University of Newcastle |
2014 |
Best RhD Confirmation (School of Health Sciences) The University of Newcastle |
2014 |
Runner-up in the University of Newcastle 3-Minute Thesis competition ($1000 prize) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mO9z8x6mRI] The University of Newcastle |
2011 |
National Alpro Foundation Award for best MSc Thesis in the UK Alpro Foundation |
Professional
Year | Award |
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2018 |
Travel grant to attend ‘Science at the shine dome conference’ in Canberra, Australia ($1000 AUD) - Australian Academy of Science Australian Academy of Science |
2018 |
Science and Industry Endowment Fund and Australian Academy of Science (SIEF-AAS) Fellowships to the Lindau Nobel Laureates Meeting in Germany - Australian Academy of Science Australian Academy of Science |
Scholarship
Year | Award |
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2014 |
Greaves Family Postgraduate Scholarship in Medical Research Hunter Medical Resarch Institute (HMRI) Public Health Program |
2013 |
Felicity Thompson Rainbow Foundation top-up scholarship Hunter Medical Research Institute |
2013 |
University of Newcastle Research Scholarship Central (UNRSC50:50) The University of Newcastle |
2013 |
University of Newcastle International Postgraduate Research Scholarship The University of Newcastle |
Invitations
Speaker
Year | Title / Rationale |
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2017 | Pint of Science - 'Fake News in Diet and Health' |
2017 |
'Weight loss strategies in young men' Presented as part of the Nutrition and Dietetics Research day at the University of Newcastle, Department of Rural Health, Tamworth |
2016 |
A brief guide to conducting Scoping Reviews Invited by: The University of Newcastle - The School of Health Sciences http://www.newcastle.edu.au/about-uon/governance-and-leadership/faculties-and-schools/faculty-of-health-and-medicine/resources/for-students |
2015 |
Can young men change their lifestyle? A novel way to improve health Invited to present at the Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Centre for Men’s Health, Leeds Beckett University, UK. June 2nd 2015. |
2015 |
Development of a gender-tailored healthy lifestyle program specifically for young adult men (aged 18-25 years) Invited to present at MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Science Unit, University of Glasgow, UK 9th June, 2015 |
Teaching
Code | Course | Role | Duration |
---|---|---|---|
HUBS2503 |
Clinical Exercise Physiology The University of Newcastle - School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy |
Tutor | 28/2/2017 - 24/5/2017 |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Chapter (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
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2019 |
Collins C, Haslam R, Murphy A, Pezdirc K, Ashton L, 'Nutrition During Adolescence', Food, Nutrition, and Health, Oxford University Press, USA, USA (2019)
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Journal article (25 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||||||||
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2020 |
Duncanson K, Shrewsbury V, Burrows T, Chai LK, Ashton L, Taylor R, et al., 'Impact of weight management nutrition interventions on dietary outcomes in children and adolescents with overweight or obesity: a systematic review with meta-analysis.', J Hum Nutr Diet, (2020)
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2020 |
Slater K, Rollo ME, Szewczyk Z, Ashton L, Schumacher T, Collins C, 'Do the Dietary Intakes of Pregnant Women Attending Public Hospital Antenatal Clinics Align with Australian Guide to Healthy Eating Recommendations?', Nutrients, 12 (2020) [C1]
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2020 |
Sharkey T, Whatnall MC, Hutchesson MJ, Haslam RL, Bezzina A, Collins CE, Ashton LM, 'Effectiveness of gender-targeted versus gender-neutral interventions aimed at improving dietary intake, physical activity and/or overweight/obesity in young adults (aged 17-35 years): a systematic review and meta-analysis', Nutrition journal, 19 78-98 (2020) [C1]
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2020 |
Schönberg S, Asher R, Stewart S, Fenwick MJ, Ashton L, Bucher T, et al., 'Development of the Home Cooking EnviRonment and Equipment Inventory Observation form (Home-CookERITM): An Assessment of Content Validity, Face Validity, and Inter-Rater Agreement.', Nutrients, 12 (2020) [C1]
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2020 |
Ashton LM, Sharkey T, Whatnall MC, Haslam RL, Bezzina A, Aguiar EJ, et al., 'Which behaviour change techniques within interventions to prevent weight gain and/or initiate weight loss improve adiposity outcomes in young adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials', OBESITY REVIEWS, 21 (2020) [C1]
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2019 |
Ashton L, Williams R, Wood L, Schumacher T, Burrows T, Rollo M, et al., 'The comparative validity of a brief diet screening tool for adults: The Fruit And Vegetable VAriety index (FAVVA)', Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, 29 189-197 (2019) [C1] © 2018 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism Background & aims: A brief assessment tool on frequency and variety of fruit and vegetable intake could provide ... [more] © 2018 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism Background & aims: A brief assessment tool on frequency and variety of fruit and vegetable intake could provide a cost-effective and sustainable approach to improving diet. The primary aim was to evaluate the comparative validity of a brief index of Fruit And Vegetable VAriety (FAVVA) relative to food and nutrient intakes derived from a comprehensive food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The secondary aim was to evaluate the FAVVA index in relation to fasting plasma carotenoid concentrations. Methods: Dietary intakes and fasting plasma carotenoid concentrations of 99 overweight and obese adults (49.5% female; 44.6 ± 9.9 years) were assessed at baseline and 3-months. Food and nutrient intakes were assessed using the Australian Eating Survey (AES) FFQ. The FAVVA index was derived from a sub-set of 35 AES questions related to fruit and vegetable intake frequency and variety. Associations were assessed using Spearman's correlation coefficients and linear regression analysis, and agreement using weighted kappa (K w ). Results: Total FAVVA score demonstrated moderate to strong, significant (all p < 0.01) correlations with total daily intakes of vegetables (r = 0.75), vitamin C (r = 0.71), fruit (r = 0.66), vitamin A (r = 0.49), fibre (r = 0.49), potassium (r = 0.46), magnesium (r = 0.39), iron (r = 0.26), riboflavin (r = 0.24), calcium (r = 0.23), zinc (r = 0.20) and niacin equivalent (r = 0.20). These associations remained significant in the adjusted regression analyses and agreement testing. Total FAVVA was significantly correlated with plasma carotenoid concentrations (µg/dL) of a¿carotene (r = 0.22, p < 0.01), ß¿carotene (r = 0.26, p < 0.001), ß¿cryptoxanthin (r = 0.22, p < 0.01) and total carotenoids (r = 0.18, p < 0.05). The associations with a¿carotene (ß = 0.09, p < 0.001), ß¿carotene (ß = 0.42, p < 0.05) and total plasma carotenoids (ß = 0.85, p < 0.05) remained significant in the adjusted regression analyses and for agreement testing. Conclusions: FAVVA is suitable as a brief tool to rank frequency and variety of fruit and vegetable intake.
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2019 |
Taylor RM, Haslam RL, Burrows TL, Duncanson KR, Ashton LM, Rollo ME, et al., 'Issues in Measuring and Interpreting Diet and Its Contribution to Obesity', CURRENT OBESITY REPORTS, 8 53-65 (2019) [C1]
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2019 |
Ashton LM, Sharkey T, Whatnall MC, Williams RL, Bezzina A, Aguiar EJ, et al., 'Effectiveness of Interventions and Behaviour Change Techniques for Improving Dietary Intake in Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of RCTs', NUTRIENTS, 11 (2019) [C1]
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2018 |
Ashton LM, Pezdirc KB, Hutchesson MJ, Rollo ME, Collins CE, 'Is skin coloration measured by reflectance spectroscopy related to intake of nutrient-dense foods? A cross-sectional evaluation in Australian young adults', Nutrients, 10 (2018) [C1]
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2018 |
Whatnall MC, Patterson AJ, Ashton LM, Hutchesson MJ, 'Effectiveness of brief nutrition interventions on dietary behaviours in adults: A systematic review', Appetite, 120 335-347 (2018) [C1] © 2017 Brief interventions are effective in improving health behaviours including alcohol intake, however the effectiveness of brief interventions targeting nutrition outcomes has... [more] © 2017 Brief interventions are effective in improving health behaviours including alcohol intake, however the effectiveness of brief interventions targeting nutrition outcomes has not been determined. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of brief nutrition interventions in adults. Seven databases were searched for RCT/pseudo RCT studies published in English to April 2016, and evaluating brief interventions (i.e. single point of contact) designed to promote change in eating behaviours in healthy adults (=18 years). Of 4849 articles identified, 45 studies met inclusion criteria. Most studies targeted fruit and/or vegetable intake (n = 21) or fat intake (n = 10), and few targeted diet quality (n = 2). Median follow-up was 3.5 months, with few studies (n = 4) measuring longer-term outcomes (=12 months). Studies aimed to determine whether a brief intervention was more effective than another brief intervention (n = 30), and/or more effective than no intervention (n = 20), with 17 and 11 studies, respectively, reporting findings to that effect. Interventions providing education plus tailored or instructional components (e.g. feedback) were more effective than education alone or non-tailored advice. This review suggests that brief interventions, which are tailored and instructional, can improve short-term dietary behaviours, however evidence for longer-term behaviour change maintenance is limited.
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2018 |
Hutchesson M, Callister R, Morgan P, Pranata I, Clarke E, Skinner G, et al., 'A Targeted and Tailored eHealth Weight Loss Program for Young Women: The Be Positive Be Healthe Randomized Controlled Trial', Healthcare, 6 1-19 (2018) [C1]
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2017 |
Ashton LM, Morgan PJ, Hutchesson MJ, Rollo ME, Collins CE, 'Young Men s Preferences for Design and Delivery of Physical Activity and Nutrition Interventions: A Mixed-Methods Study', American Journal of Men's Health, 11 1588-1599 (2017) [C1] © 2017, © The Author(s) 2017. Young adult men are under-represented in health research, and little is known about how to reach and engage them in lifestyle interventions. This mix... [more] © 2017, © The Author(s) 2017. Young adult men are under-represented in health research, and little is known about how to reach and engage them in lifestyle interventions. This mixed-methods study aimed to explore young males¿ preferences for recruitment strategies, content, format (delivery mode and program duration and frequency), and facilitator characteristics for future physical activity and nutrition interventions. Ten focus groups involving 61 men (aged 18¿25 years) in the Hunter region, New South Wales, Australia and an online survey distributed within Australia were completed by 282 males (aged 18¿25 years). Key focus group themes included a preference for recruitment via multiple sources, ensuring images and recruiters were relatable; intervention facilitators to be engaging and refrain from discussing negative consequences of being unhealthy. Key program content preferences included skill development and individualized goals and feedback. Focus groups and the survey confirmed a preference for multiple delivery modes, including; face-to-face (group and individual), with support using eHealth technologies. Survey results confirmed the most favored program content as: ¿healthy eating on a budget,¿ ¿quick and easy meals,¿ and ¿resistance training.¿ Focus group responses suggested a program duration of =6 months, with 2¿3 combined face-to-face and supportive eHealth sessions per week. Survey intervention duration preference was 3 months with 4 face-to-face sessions per month. Findings can guide the design, conduct, and evaluation of relevant contemporary physical activity and or nutrition interventions for young men. There is a need to identify the most effective ways to address young men¿s individual preferences in intervention research.
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2017 |
Ashton LM, Morgan PJ, Hutchesson MJ, Rollo ME, Collins CE, 'Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the 'HEYMAN' healthy lifestyle program for young men: a pilot randomised controlled trial', Nutrition Journal, 16 1-17 (2017) [C1]
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2017 |
Ashton L, Williams R, Wood L, Schumacher T, Burrows T, Rollo M, et al., 'Comparison of Australian recommended food score (ARFS) and plasma carotenoid concentrations: A validation study in adults', Nutrients, 9 (2017) [C1]
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2017 |
Ashton LM, Hutchesson MJ, Rollo ME, Morgan PJ, Collins CE, 'Motivators and Barriers to Engaging in Healthy Eating and Physical Activity: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Young Adult Men', American Journal of Men's Health, 11 330-343 (2017) [C1] © 2016, © The Author(s) 2016. Many Australian young men (18-25 years) fail to meet recommendations in national dietary or physical activity (PA) guidelines. However, there is a la... [more] © 2016, © The Author(s) 2016. Many Australian young men (18-25 years) fail to meet recommendations in national dietary or physical activity (PA) guidelines. However, there is a lack of understanding of their perspectives on PA and diet to inform intervention design. This study examined young men¿s motivators and barriers to healthy eating and PA, along with differences by demographic and behavioral factors. A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 282 men aged 18 to 25 years in Australia. Results identified the most common motivators for healthy eating included improving health (63.5%), body image (52.3%), and increasing energy (32.1%). Motivators for PA included improving body image (44.6%), fitness (44.2%), and health (41.0%). Common barriers to healthy eating were access to unhealthy foods (61.1%), time to cook/prepare healthy foods (55.0%), and motivation to cook healthy foods (50.7%). Barriers for PA included motivation (66.3%), time (57.8%), and cost of equipment/facilities (33.3%). Significant differences (p <.01) in motivators to healthy eating and/or PA were identified for BMI category, marital status, PA level, alcohol intake, and stress levels. Significant differences were identified for barriers to healthy eating and/or PA by BMI, PA level, stress, and fruit and vegetable intake, assessed using Pearson¿s chi-square test. Findings suggest that promotion of benefits related to health, appearance/body image, increased energy and fitness, and addressing key barriers including motivation, time, financial restraints, and accessibility of unhealthy foods, could engage young men in improving lifestyle behaviors. Differences by demographic and behavioral factors suggest development of tailored programs to address diversity among young men may be required.
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2017 |
Oosterveen E, Tzelepis F, Ashton L, Hutchesson MJ, 'A systematic review of eHealth behavioral interventions targeting smoking, nutrition, alcohol, physical activity and/or obesity for young adults', Preventive Medicine, 99 197-206 (2017) [C1] © 2017 A systematic review of randomized control trials (RCT) was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of eHealth behavioral interventions aiming to improve smoking rates, nut... [more] © 2017 A systematic review of randomized control trials (RCT) was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of eHealth behavioral interventions aiming to improve smoking rates, nutrition behaviors, alcohol intake, physical activity levels and/or obesity (SNAPO) in young adults. Seven electronic databases were searched for RCTs published in English from 2000 to April 2015 and evaluating eHealth interventions aiming to change one or multiple SNAPO outcomes, and including young adult (18¿35¿years) participants. Of 2,159 articles identified, 45 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most interventions targeted alcohol (n¿=¿26), followed by smoking (n¿=¿7), physical activity (n¿=¿4), obesity (n¿=¿4) and nutrition (n¿=¿1). Three interventions targeted multiple behaviors. The eHealth interventions were most often delivered via websites (79.5%). Most studies (n¿=¿32) compared eHealth interventions to a control group (e.g. waiting list control, minimal intervention), with the majority (n¿=¿23) showing a positive effect on a SNAPO outcome at follow-up. Meta-analysis demonstrated a significantly lower mean number of drinks consumed/week in brief web or computer-based interventions compared to controls (Mean Difference -¿2.43 [-¿3.54, -¿1.32], P¿<¿0.0001, n¿=¿10). Sixteen studies compared eHealth delivery modes, with inconsistent results across target behaviors and technology types. Nine studies compared eHealth to other modes of delivery (e.g. in person) with all finding no difference in SNAPO outcomes between groups at follow-up. This review provides some evidence for the efficacy of eHealth SNAPO interventions for young adults, particularly in the short-term and for alcohol interventions. But there is insufficient evidence for their efficacy in the longer-term, as well as which mode of delivery is most effective.
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2015 |
Ashton LM, Morgan PJ, Hutchesson MJ, Rollo ME, Young MD, Collins CE, 'A systematic review of SNAPO (Smoking, Nutrition, Alcohol, Physical activity and Obesity) randomized controlled trials in young adult men', Preventive Medicine, 81 221-231 (2015) [C1] © 2015 Elsevier Inc. Objectives: To investigate the effectiveness of Smoking, Nutrition, Alcohol, Physical activity and Obesity (SNAPO) interventions in young men exclusively. The... [more] © 2015 Elsevier Inc. Objectives: To investigate the effectiveness of Smoking, Nutrition, Alcohol, Physical activity and Obesity (SNAPO) interventions in young men exclusively. The secondary aim was to evaluate the recruitment, retention and engagement strategies. Methods: A search with no date restrictions was conducted across seven databases. Randomized controlled trials recruiting young men only (aged 18-35. years) into interventions targeting any SNAPO risk factors were included. Results: Ten studies were included (two nutrition, six alcohol use, two targeting multiple SNAPO risk factors). Six studies (two nutrition, three alcohol use and one targeting multiple SNAPO risk factors) demonstrated significant positive short-term intervention effects, but impact was either not assessed beyond the intervention (n = 3), had short-term follow-up (= 6 months) (n = 2) or not sustained beyond six months (n = 1). Overall, a high risk of bias was identified across studies. Only one study undertook a power calculation and recruited the required sample size. Adequate retention was achieved in three studies. Effectiveness of engagement strategies was not reported in any studies. Conclusions: Despite preliminary evidence of short-term effectiveness of SNAPO interventions in young men, few studies characterized by a high risk of bias were identified. High quality SNAPO interventions for young men are warranted.
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2015 |
Ashton LM, Hutchesson MJ, Rollo ME, Morgan PJ, Thompson DI, Collins CE, 'Young adult males' motivators and perceived barriers towards eating healthily and being active: A qualitative study', International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 12 (2015) [C1]
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2014 |
Bryant M, Ashton L, Brown J, Jebb S, Wright J, Roberts K, Nixon J, 'Systematic review to identify and appraise outcome measures used to evaluate childhood obesity treatment interventions (CoOR): evidence of purpose, application, validity, reliability and sensitivity.', Health Technol Assess, 18 1-380 (2014)
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2014 |
Bryant M, Ashton L, Nixon J, Jebb S, Wright J, Roberts K, Brown J, 'The use and reporting of primary and secondary outcome measures in trials evaluating childhood obesity treatment interventions', BMC Obesity, 1 (2014) © 2014 Bryant et al. Background: Existing systematic reviews aimed at comparing effectiveness of childhood obesity treatment interventions are limited by a lack of quality in the ... [more] © 2014 Bryant et al. Background: Existing systematic reviews aimed at comparing effectiveness of childhood obesity treatment interventions are limited by a lack of quality in the conduct and reporting of trials in this area. This study aimed to identify the number and types of primary and secondary outcomes used within trials of childhood obesity treatments and to determine the degree to which these trials correctly report their use of outcome measures. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify phase II (i.e. pilot and feasibility studies) and phase III (e.g. determining effectiveness) trials of childhood obesity treatments across 11 databases. Data were extracted from eligible manuscripts pertaining to the number and type of outcome measures used, in addition to details of citations provided for these measures. Results: 145 different outcome measures were reported to be used within 200 identified eligible trial manuscripts. Citations were provided to indicate the provenance for 417 measures, but only 13% of these were correctly linked to papers describing the development and/or evaluation of measures. Conclusions: This study identified inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the use and reporting of outcome measures used by eligible trials. Researchers in this area are urged to consider guidelines such as CONSORT and the National Obesity Observatory Standard Evaluation Framework in the design and reporting of future trials.
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2014 |
Ashton LM, Hutchesson MJ, Rollo ME, Morgan PJ, Collins CE, 'A scoping review of risk behaviour interventions in young men.', BMC public health, 14 957 (2014) [C1]
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2014 |
Bryant M, Ashton L, Nixon J, Jebb S, Wright J, Roberts K, Brown J, 'Framework of outcome measures recommended for use in the evaluation of childhood obesity treatment interventions: the CoOR framework', PEDIATRIC OBESITY, 9 e116-e131 (2014)
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Show 22 more journal articles |
Conference (19 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | |||||
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2020 |
Ashton L, Sharkey T, Whatnall M, Haslam R, Bezzina A, Auguiar E, et al., 'Which Behaviour-Change Techniques within Weight-Management Interventions Improve Adiposity Outcomes in Young Adults? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs)', Which Behaviour-Change Techniques within Weight-Management Interventions Improve Adiposity Outcomes in Young Adults? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs), Newcastle, NSW, Australia (2020)
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2019 |
Collins C, Haslam R, Chai LK, Ashton L, Burrows T, Rollo M, 'Just Beat It - Boosting Education And Training with IT to disseminate nutrition interventions.', Prague, Czech Republic (2019)
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2019 |
Sharkey T, Hutchesson M, Whatnall M, Haslam R, Bezzina A, Aguiar E, et al., 'Effectiveness of behaviour change techniques used in nutrition interventions in young adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised control trials', Gold Coast, Australia (2019)
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2015 |
Ashton L, Hutchesson MJ, Rollo M, Morgan P, Thompson D, Collins CE, 'Motivators and barriers to engaging in healthy eating and physical activity in young adult men', Edinburgh, UK (2015) [E3]
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2015 |
Oosterveen E, Tzelepis F, Ashton L, Hutchesson MJ, 'eHealth behavioural interventions targeting smoking, nutrition, alcohol, physical activity and/or obesity (SNAPO) in young adults: A systematic review', http://www.anzos2015.org/program-page/, Melbourne, Australia (2015) [E3]
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2015 |
Ashton L, Hutchesson M, Rollo M, Morgan P, Collins C, 'Motivators and barriers to engaging in healthy eating and physical activity in young adult men: a cross-sectional
study.', Melbourne, Australia (2015) [E3]
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2015 |
Ashton L, Hutchesson M, Rollo M, Morgan P, Collins C, 'Young men's motivators and barriers to healthy eating and their preferences for a healthy eating intervention', Wellington, New Zealand (2015) [E3]
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2013 |
Ashton L, Cade JE, Burley VJ, 'A type 2 diabetes mellitus prevention index predicts incident diabetes in the UK Women's Cohort Study', PROCEEDINGS OF THE NUTRITION SOCIETY (2013)
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2013 |
Ashton L, Rollo M, Hutchesson M, Young MD, Morgan P, Callister R, et al., 'A comparison of outcomes of young and old adult males in the SHED-IT weight loss program for men', Obesity Research and Clinical Practice, Melbourne (2013) [E3]
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Show 16 more conferences |
Grants and Funding
Summary
Number of grants | 17 |
---|---|
Total funding | $251,342 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
Highlighted grants and funding
Training WA obesity management clinical and allied health professional workforce$45,364
Funding body: Western Australian Department of Health
Funding body | Western Australian Department of Health |
---|---|
Project Team | Collins C, Haslam R, Ashton L, Hutchesson M, Burrows T |
Scheme | Project Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | External |
Category | EXTE |
UON | N |
Improving Diet Quality to Promote Healthy Weight – Linking people in HNECC with personalised feedback on eating habits using The Healthy Eating Quiz$54,375
Funding body: Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network (HNECC)
Funding body | Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network (HNECC) |
---|---|
Project Team | Prof Clare Collins, Dr Lee Ashton, Dr Rebecca Haslam |
Scheme | Healthy Lifestyle Community Grants |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2020 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | C1500 - Aust Competitive - Commonwealth Other |
Category | 1500 |
UON | N |
Travel Grant to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureates Meeting in Germany$6,678
Funding body: Australian Academy of Science
Funding body | Australian Academy of Science |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Lee Ashton |
Scheme | Scientific visits to Europe for young Australian researchers |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2018 |
Funding Finish | 2018 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | International - Competitive |
Category | 3IFA |
UON | N |
Hunter Medical Research Institute Project grant for Male depression $25,000
Funding body: Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI)
Funding body | Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) |
---|---|
Project Team | Prof Clare Collins, Dr Frances Kay-Lambkin, Dr Melinda Hutchesson, Prof Philip Morgan, Dr Megan Rollo, Prof Robin Callister, Dr Geoffrey Skinner, Dr Shamus Smith, Dr Lee Ashton |
Scheme | Project Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2015 |
Funding Finish | 2017 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | External |
Category | EXTE |
UON | N |
Hunter Medical Research Institute Greaves Family Postgraduate Scholarship in Medical Research 2014-15$35,000
Funding body: Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI)
Funding body | Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) |
---|---|
Project Team | Lee Ashton |
Scheme | Greaves family postgraduate scholarship in medical research |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2014 |
Funding Finish | 2016 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | External |
Category | EXTE |
UON | N |
20211 grants / $23,266
Can Images of Nature be used to Promote Healthy Foods Choices in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes?$23,266
Funding body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
Funding body | Hunter Medical Research Institute |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Tamara Bucher, Associate Professor Marc Adam, Doctor Rebecca Haslam, Doctor Lee Ashton, Professor Clare Collins |
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2021 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | G2001196 |
Type Of Funding | C3112 - Aust Not for profit |
Category | 3112 |
UON | Y |
20202 grants / $69,793
Training WA obesity management clinical and allied health professional workforce$45,364
Funding body: Western Australian Department of Health
Funding body | Western Australian Department of Health |
---|---|
Project Team | Collins C, Haslam R, Ashton L, Hutchesson M, Burrows T |
Scheme | Project Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | External |
Category | EXTE |
UON | N |
Can Images of Nature be used to Promote Healthy Foods Choices in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes? $24,429
Funding body: Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI)
Funding body | Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) |
---|---|
Project Team | Bucher T, Adam M, Haslam R, Ashton L, Collins C. |
Scheme | Project Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | C1500 - Aust Competitive - Commonwealth Other |
Category | 1500 |
UON | N |
20195 grants / $74,252
Improving Diet Quality to Promote Healthy Weight – Linking people in HNECC with personalised feedback on eating habits using The Healthy Eating Quiz$54,375
Funding body: Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network (HNECC)
Funding body | Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network (HNECC) |
---|---|
Project Team | Prof Clare Collins, Dr Lee Ashton, Dr Rebecca Haslam |
Scheme | Healthy Lifestyle Community Grants |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2020 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | C1500 - Aust Competitive - Commonwealth Other |
Category | 1500 |
UON | N |
Faculty of Health and Medicine 2019 Strategic Research Pilot $7,690
Funding body: The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health and Medicine
Funding body | The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health and Medicine |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Stina Oftedal, Dr Rebecca Williams, Dr Lee Ashton, Dr Melinda Hutchesson, Dr Megan Whatnall, Assoc Prof Mitch Duncan |
Scheme | Strategic Pilot Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2019 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
Faculty of Health and Medicine equipment grant $5,000
Funding body: Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle
Funding body | Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Megan Rollo, Assoc Prof Tracy Burrows, Dr Lee Ashton, Dr Rebecca Haslam, Prof Clare Collins |
Scheme | Equipment grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2019 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
School of Health Sciences 2019 Strategic Pilot Grant $4,092
Funding body: The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health and Medicine
Funding body | The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health and Medicine |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Vanessa Shrewsbury, Dr Lee Ashton, Dr Tamara Bucher, Miss Roberta Asher, Prof Clare Collins |
Scheme | Strategic Pilot Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2019 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
Faculty Equipment Grant - Cardioscope: Brachial and central blood pressure and arterial stiffness measures (augmentation index) $3,095
Funding body: The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health and Medicine
Funding body | The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health and Medicine |
---|---|
Project Team | Prof Clare Collins,Assoc Prof Tracy Burrows, Dr Lee Ashton, Dr Rebecca Haslam, Dr Megan Rollo, Dr Melinda Hutchesson |
Scheme | Equipment Round |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2019 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
20183 grants / $10,519
Travel Grant to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureates Meeting in Germany$6,678
Funding body: Australian Academy of Science
Funding body | Australian Academy of Science |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Lee Ashton |
Scheme | Scientific visits to Europe for young Australian researchers |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2018 |
Funding Finish | 2018 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | International - Competitive |
Category | 3IFA |
UON | N |
School of Health Sciences 2018 Strategic Pilot Grant $2,841
Funding body: School of Health Science, Faculty of Health & Medicine, The University of Newcastle
Funding body | School of Health Science, Faculty of Health & Medicine, The University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Lee Ashton, Dr Melinda Hutchesson, Dr Rebecca, Williams, Prof Clare Collins |
Scheme | Strategic Pilot Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2018 |
Funding Finish | 2018 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
Travel grant to attend ‘Science at the shine dome conference’ in Canberra, Australia $1,000
Funding body: Australian Academy of Science
Funding body | Australian Academy of Science |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Lee Ashton |
Scheme | Scientific visit to 'Science at the Shine Dome' |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2018 |
Funding Finish | 2018 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | C1500 - Aust Competitive - Commonwealth Other |
Category | 1500 |
UON | N |
20174 grants / $13,512
School of Health Sciences 2017 Strategic Pilot Grant$4,095
Funding body: The University of Newcastle - The School of Health Sciences
Funding body | The University of Newcastle - The School of Health Sciences |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Lee Ashton, Dr Rebecca Williams, Dr Kristine Pezdirc, Dr Melinda Hutchesson, Prof Clare Collins |
Scheme | Strategic Pilot Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2017 |
Funding Finish | 2017 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
School of Health Sciences 2017 Strategic Pilot Grant$4,000
Funding body: The University of Newcastle - The School of Health Sciences
Funding body | The University of Newcastle - The School of Health Sciences |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Kristine Pezdirc, Dr Lee Ashton, Dr Melinda Hutchesson, Prof Clare Collins |
Scheme | Strategic Pilot Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2017 |
Funding Finish | 2017 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
School of Health Sciences 2017 Strategic Pilot Grant$3,917
Funding body: The University of Newcastle - The School of Health Sciences
Funding body | The University of Newcastle - The School of Health Sciences |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Rebecca Williams, Dr Lee Ashton, Dr Megan Rollo, Prof Clare Collins |
Scheme | Strategic Pilot Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2017 |
Funding Finish | 2017 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
Faculty of Health and Medicine Strategic ECR Pilot Grant $1,500
Funding body: The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health and Medicine
Funding body | The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health and Medicine |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Rebecca Williams, Dr Lee Ashton, Prof Jennifer Martin |
Scheme | Strategic ECR Pilot Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2017 |
Funding Finish | 2017 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
20151 grants / $25,000
Hunter Medical Research Institute Project grant for Male depression $25,000
Funding body: Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI)
Funding body | Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) |
---|---|
Project Team | Prof Clare Collins, Dr Frances Kay-Lambkin, Dr Melinda Hutchesson, Prof Philip Morgan, Dr Megan Rollo, Prof Robin Callister, Dr Geoffrey Skinner, Dr Shamus Smith, Dr Lee Ashton |
Scheme | Project Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2015 |
Funding Finish | 2017 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | External |
Category | EXTE |
UON | N |
20141 grants / $35,000
Hunter Medical Research Institute Greaves Family Postgraduate Scholarship in Medical Research 2014-15$35,000
Funding body: Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI)
Funding body | Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) |
---|---|
Project Team | Lee Ashton |
Scheme | Greaves family postgraduate scholarship in medical research |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2014 |
Funding Finish | 2016 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | External |
Category | EXTE |
UON | N |
Research Projects
No Money No Time (nomoneynotime.com.au) 2018 - 2020
'No Money No Time (NMNT)' website aims to improve the eating habits of young adults aged 18-25 years. No Money No Time provides quick, cheap and easy healthy meal ideas along with evidence based resources to help set long-term healthy eating behaviours. The NMNT website also addresses common dietary FAQ's such as How healthy is my diet? with a section on debunking diet myths, food hacks and FAQ's to address any confusion around food and nutrition.
The No Money No Time project is supported by nib foundation, Australia.
Edit
Research Collaborations
The map is a representation of a researchers co-authorship with collaborators across the globe. The map displays the number of publications against a country, where there is at least one co-author based in that country. Data is sourced from the University of Newcastle research publication management system (NURO) and may not fully represent the authors complete body of work.
Country | Count of Publications | |
---|---|---|
Australia | 25 | |
United Kingdom | 8 | |
United States | 3 | |
Switzerland | 2 | |
Hong Kong | 2 | |
More... |
News
Healthy eating options on the table for young Australians
July 18, 2019
Young scientist recognised as emerging researcher
February 28, 2018
Linking young adults to healthy eating habits
February 7, 2018
HEYMAN, it’s a tailored lifestyle study for young men
March 17, 2016
Dr Lee Ashton
Positions
Postdoctoral Fellow
PRC Physical Activity and Nutrition
School of Health Sciences
College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing
Research Academic
PRC Physical Activity and Nutrition
School of Education
College of Human and Social Futures
Contact Details
lee.ashton@newcastle.edu.au | |
Phone | (02) 4913 8034 |
Link |
Office
Room | ATC205 |
---|---|
Building | ATC Building |
Location | Callaghan University Drive Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia |