Dr Kylie Hesketh is a Research Fellow supported by a Career Development Fellowship from the National Heart Foundation of Australia (NHFA). She is a member of the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research (C-PAN) within the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences. Her research is concerned with the epidemiology of childhood overweight, physical activity and sedentary behaviour, with a particular focus on prevention and early childhood (0-5 years).
Co-supervisor of 2 PhD students, 1 external PhD student and Honours students
Dr Hesketh’s research is primarily concerned with understanding the determinants of children’s weight status, physical activity and sedentary behaviour with an aim to preventing overweight and inactivity. As a NHFA Career Development Fellow, she is investigating strategies to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviours during early childhood to prevent obesity. She is currently conducting a large randomised controlled trial that aims to assist new parents to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours from infancy. She is also conducting a large longitudinal cohort study investigating determinants of physical activity and sedentary behaviours during the transition from preschool to primary school.
Awards and prizes
2010 Finalist Scopus Young Researcher of the Year Award (Humanities & Social Sciences)
2009-2013 National Heart Foundation of Australia Career Development Award
2005-2008 National Health and Medical Research Council/National Heart Foundation of Australia Part-time Postdoctoral Training Fellowship
2004 Recipient of the Australasian Society for the Study of Obesity Young Investigator Award
2001-2004 National Health and Medical Research Council Public Health Postgraduate Research Scholarship
Memberships
Australian Child and Adolescent Obesity Research Network (ACAORN)
Australasian Epidemiology Association (AEA)
Australasian Society for Behavioural Health and Medicine (ASBHM)
Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society (ANZOS)
International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA)
Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA)
Service to the University, discipline or community
Dr Hesketh regularly reviews research applications for national and international funding bodies, and manuscripts for national and international journals. She is an Associate Editor for BMC Public Health, a member of the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity Editorial Board, the Australasian Society for Behavioural Health & Medicine Executive Committee and the YMCA Health & Medical Advisory Board.
Conferences
Australian & New Zealand Obesity Society Conference, Melbourne 2009. Invited presentation – “Working with mothers and in early childhood settings – tips from the coal face.”
National Physical Activity Conference, Brisbane 2009. “Associations between a mother’s own activity levels and her self-efficacy and intentions for her child’s physical activity.”
Public Health Association of Australia Conference, Canberra 2009. “Comparing parental knowledge with the draft Australian Physical Activity Recommendations for 0-5 year olds.”
Australian & New Zealand Obesity Society Conference, Brisbane 2008. Invited workshop presentation - "Obesity prevention interventions in under 5’s: the story of a rapidly changing evidence base."
Population Health Congress, Brisbane 2008. What can mothers’ expectations about young children’s diet and eating tell us about intervention needs?”
Australasian Society for Behavioural Health & Medicine Conference, Sydney 2008. “Associations between child overweight and objectively measured physical activity within different time windows.”
National Physical Activity Conference, Adelaide 2007. "What can mothers’ expectations about young children’s physical activity and sedentary behaviour tell us about intervention needs?"
Australasian Society for the Study of Obesity, Canberra 2007. Invited presentation - "Balancing a successful career with the rest of your life."
Australasian Society for the Study of Obesity, Canberra 2007. "Associations between child overweight and objectively measured physical activity within different time windows."
Australasian Society for the Study of Obesity Adelaide 2005.
"Children’s television viewing and objectively measured physical activity: what is the role of family circumstance?"
Australasian Society for the Study of Obesity, Brisbane 2004. Invited presentation – "Body mass index and parent-reported self esteem in elementary school children: evidence for a causal relationship."
World Conference on Health Promotion and Health Education, Melbourne 2004. "Healthy eating, physical activity, and obesity prevention: a qualitative study of parent and child beliefs."
Australian Health and Medical Research Congress, Melbourne 2002. Invited presentation – "What do recent trends in weight gain tell us about opportunities for prevention."
