Research interests
Dr Torres’ research assesses the relationship between mental health and dietary intake. She has conducted intervention studies assessing the impact of dietary modifications and weight loss on mood, anxiety and blood pressure responses to stress. Recently, Dr Torres has been investigating the effect of weight loss on stress, and how dietary intake is associated with depression. Her future research will address how lifestyle interventions such as diet and weight loss can influence mental health. Dr Torres is also an Accredited Practicing Dietitian and Registered Nutritionist.
Affiliations
Nutrition Society of Australia
Dietitian's Association of Australia
Teaching interests
Nutrition research methodology and Nutrition during infancy, childhood and adolescence.
Knowledge areas
Nutrition, dietary intake, mental health
Conferences
2017
Annual Meeting of the International Society of Psychoneuroendocrinology
Oral presentation: SU Jayasinghe, SJ Torres, M Hussain, S Fraser, G Lambert, AI Turner. Fitter women do not have attenuated hemodynamic responses to psychological stress
Annual Meeting of the International Society of Psychoneuroendocrinology
Poster presentation: AI Turner, C Grimes, CA Nowson, SU Jayasinghe, C Bruce, S Mason, F He, SJ Torres. Sodium intake was positively associated with cortisol excretion in a cross-sectional sample of Australian school children
International Conference of Research in Physical Activity and Health, Spain
Esteban-Gonzalo L, Turner AI, Torres SJ, Esteban-Cornejo I, Verónica Cabanas V, Veiga OL. Quality of mediterranean diet and health related quality of life in spanish adolescents. the Up & Down study
2016
Nutrition Society of Australia National Conference
Poster presentation: M Hart, C Milte, S Torres, M Thorpe, S McNaughton. Associations between dietary patterns and depressive symptoms in older adults
2015
Endocrine’s Society’s Annual Meeting 2015
Poster presentation: SU Jayasinghe, SJ Torres, AJ Tilbrook, AI Turner. Sympatho-Adrenal Medullary (SAM) System and Hypothalamo-Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) Axis Responses to Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) Is Independent of Physical Fitness in Women Aged 30-50 Years
International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity Assessment Conference
Poster presentation: RL Huddy, SJ Torres; CM Milte; SA McNaughton; M Techyenne; KJ Campbell. Associations between dietary intake, diet quality and depressive symptoms in first-time mothers
45th Annual ISPNE Conference
Poster presentation: SU Jayasinghe, SJ Torres, AJ Tilbrook, AI Turner. Cortisol and catecholamine responses to Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) are independent of Physical Fitness in Women Aged 30-50 Years
2014
Australian & New Zealand Obesity Society 2014 Annual Scientific Meeting
Oral presentation: Anne I Turner, Susan J Torres, Caryl A Nowson, Alan J Tilbrook, Sisitha U Jayasinghe. Cortisol response to food intake in men: Influence of overweight and obesity
2013 Endocrine Society National Conference
Poster presentation: AI Turner, SJ Torres, E Townsin, CA Nowson, AJ Tilbrook, SU Jayasinghe. Overweight and obesity influence cortisol response to food ingestion in men.
Endocrine Society National Conference
Poster presentation: SU Jayasinghe, SJ Torres, E Townsin, CA Nowson, AJ Tilbrook, AI Turner. Physiological responses to psychological stress; importance of adiposity in men.
Australian Physiological Society
Oral presentation: SU Jayasinghe, SJ Torres, SF Fraser, AI Turner
Reactivity to psychological stress in premenopausal women: Impact of cardiorespiratory fitness and cardio-metabolic risk
Nutrition Society of Australia National Conference
Poster presentation: TE Lunn, CA Nowson, A Worsley SJ Torres, E Townsin, CA Nowson, AJ Tilbrook, AI Turner. The relationship between personality and dietary intake in overweight and obese men.
2012
Endocrine Society of Australia National Conference
Oral presentation: SU Jayasinghe, SJ Torres, E Townsin, CA Nowson, AJ Tilbrook, AI Turner. Salivary alpha amylase (sAA) response to psychological stress in lean and overweight/obese men
Professional activities
Member of the following Deakin University committee's
Graduate Employment Committee- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences (Chair)
Undergraduate and Postgraduate Nutrition Course team
Research groups
Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition
Awards
2016 Deakin University Award for Teaching Excellence
2011 Faculty Award for Excellence
Faculty of Health, Medicine, Nursing and Behavioural Sciences, Deakin University
Development of School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences careers website
2002-2007 Dairy Research Development Corporation PhD scholarship
2007 Nutrition Society of Australia Travel Grant
2006 Nutrition Society of Australia Travel Grant
2002 Nutrition Society of Australia Travel Grant
1993 Awarded HECS exemption scholarship for academic excellence
Publications
R Siew, S Bowe, A Turner, Z Sarnyai, C Nilsson, J Shaw, D Magliano, S Torres
(2023), Vol. 149, pp. 106021-106021, Psychoneuroendocrinology, England, C1
Sara Dingle, Melissa Bujtor, Catherine Milte, Steven Bowe, Robin Daly, Susan Torres
(2023), pp. 1-25, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
M McMaster, S Kim, L Clare, S Torres, N Cherbuin, K Anstey
(2023), pp. 1-9, Aging and Mental Health, London, Eng., C1-1
Data-driven lifestyle patterns and risk of dementia in older Australian women
S Dingle, S Bowe, M Bujtor, C Milte, R Daly, J Byles, D Cavenagh, S Torres
(2023), Alzheimer's and Dementia, United States, C1
K Livingstone, C Milte, S Torres, M Hart, S DIngle, J Shaw, D Magliano, S McNaughton
(2022), Vol. 152, pp. 805-815, Journal of Nutrition, Oxford, Eng., C1
S Jayasinghe, S Hall, S Torres, A Turner
(2022), Vol. 322, pp. R144-R151, American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology, Rockville, Md., C1
R Siew, K Nabe-Nielsen, A Turner, M Bujtor, S Torres
(2022), Vol. 138, pp. 1-9, Psychoneuroendocrinology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
Annabel Matison, Catherine Milte, Jonathan Shaw, Dianna Magliano, Robin Daly, Susan Torres
(2022), Vol. 22, pp. 1-11, BMC Geriatrics, Berlin, Germany, C1
L Ng, M Hart, S Dingle, C Milte, K Livingstone, J Shaw, D Magliano, S McNaughton, S Torres
(2022), British Journal of Nutrition, England, C1
Associations between data-driven lifestyle profiles and cognitive function in the AusDiab study
S Dingle, S Bowe, M Bujtor, C Milte, R Daly, K Anstey, J Shaw, S Torres
(2022), Vol. 22, BMC Public Health, England, C1
M Bujtor, A Turner, S Torres, L Esteban-Gonzalo, C Pariante, A Borsini
(2021), Vol. 13, pp. 1-29, Nutrients, Switzerland, C1
M Hart, S Torres, S McNaughton, C Milte
(2021), Vol. 20, Nutrition Journal, England, C1
A Dietary Inflammatory Index and associations with C-reactive protein in a general adult population
M Hart, S Torres, S McNaughton, C Milte
(2021), Vol. 60, pp. 4093-4106, European Journal of Nutrition, Germany, C1
The impact of maternal post-partum depressive symptoms on child diet at 18 months
R Opie, M Zheng, S Torres, K Campbell
(2021), Vol. 17, Maternal and Child Nutrition, England, C1
J Matthews, S Torres, C Milte, I Hopkins, S Kukuljan, C Nowson, R Daly
(2020), Vol. 59, pp. 1081-1091, European Journal of Nutrition, Germany, C1
A Turner, N Smyth, S Hall, S Torres, M Hussein, S Jayasinghe, K Ball, A Clow
(2020), Vol. 114, Psychoneuroendocrinology, England, C1
A Phillips, C Milte, R Opie, K Campbell, S Torres
(2020), Vol. 29, pp. 348-354, Asia Pacific journal of clinical nutrition, London, Eng., C1
M McMaster, S Kim, L Clare, S Torres, N Cherbuin, C DʼEste, K Anstey
(2020), Vol. 68, pp. 2629-2637, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Chichester, Eng., C1
K Anstey, N Cherbuin, S Kim, M McMaster, C D'Este, N Lautenschlager, G Rebok, I McRae, S Torres, K Cox, C Pond
(2020), Vol. 22, Journal of Medical Internet Research, Canada, C1
Diet quality and well-being in children and adolescents: The UP&DOWN longitudinal study
L Esteban-Gonzalo, A Turner, S Torres, I Esteban-Cornejo, J Castro-Piñero, Á Delgado-Alfonso, A Marcos, S Gómez-Martínez, Ó Veiga
(2019), Vol. 121, pp. 221-231, British Journal of Nutrition, England, C1
S Torres, C Grimes, C Nowson, S Jayasinghe, C Bruce, S Mason, F He, A Turner
(2019), Vol. 121, pp. 164-171, British Journal of Nutrition, England, C1
Development of nutrition science competencies for undergraduate degrees in Australia
T Lawlis, S Torres, A Coates, K Clark, K Charlton, A Sinclair, L Wood, A Devine
(2019), Vol. 28, pp. 166-176, Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, C1
Dietary patterns are associated with depressive symptoms in older Australian women but not men
M Hart, C Milte, S Torres, M Thorpe, S Mcnaughton
(2019), Vol. 122, pp. 1424-1431, British Journal of Nutrition, England, C1
S Kim, M McMaster, S Torres, K Cox, N Lautenschlager, G Rebok, D Pond, C D'Este, I McRae, N Cherbuin, K Anstey
(2018), Vol. 8, BMJ Open, England, C1
A Booth, X Wang, A Turner, C Nowson, S Torres
(2018), Vol. 10, Nutrients, Switzerland, C1
M McMaster, S Kim, L Clare, S Torres, C D’este, K Anstey
(2018), Vol. 13, pp. 2397-2406, Clinical Interventions in Aging, New Zealand, C1
S Jayasinghe, S Torres, M Hussein, S Fraser, G Lambert, A Turner
(2017), Vol. 12, PLoS ONE, United States, C1
S Torres, S Robinson, L Orellana, S O'Connell, C Grimes, N Mundell, D Dunstan, C Nowson, R Daly
(2017), Vol. 117, pp. 1550-1559, British journal of nutrition, Cambridge, Eng., C1
S Jayasinghe, G Lambert, S Torres, S Fraser, N Eikelis, A Turner
(2016), Vol. 51, pp. 369-379, Endocrine, United States, C1
Dietary fat restriction increases fat taste sensitivity in people with obesity
L Newman, D Bolhuis, S Torres, R Keast
(2016), Vol. 24, pp. 328-334, Obesity, United States, C1
R Huddy, S Torres, C Milte, S McNaughton, M Teychenne, K Campbell
(2016), Vol. 116, pp. 1406-1412, Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
The influence of a high-fat meal on fat taste thresholds
L Newman, S Torres, D Bolhuis, R Keast
(2016), Vol. 101, pp. 199-204, Appetite, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
S Jayasinghe, S Torres, S Fraser, A Turner
(2015), Vol. 40, pp. 1186-1192, Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism, Ottawa, On., C1
Does diet-induced weight change effect anxiety in overweight and obese adults?
S Eyres, A Turner, C Nowson, S Torres
(2014), Vol. 30, pp. 10-15, Nutrition, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
M Teychenne, S Torres, S McNaughton, J Salmon, K Ball
(2014), Vol. 7, pp. 30-36, Mental health and physical activity, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
Does personality affect dietary intake?
T Lunn, C Nowson, A Worsley, S Torres
(2014), Vol. 30, pp. 403-409, Nutrition, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
Physiological responses to psychological stress: importance of adiposity in men aged 50-70 years
S Jayasinghe, S Torres, C Nowson, A Tilbrook, A Turner
(2014), Vol. 3, pp. 110-119, Endocrine connections, Bristol, England, C1
Sisitha Jayasinghe, Susan Torres, Caryl Nowson, Alan Tilbrook, Anne Turner
(2014), Vol. 1, pp. 1-10, BMC obesity, London, England, C1
S Torres, A Turner, S Jayasinghe, J Nolds, C Nowson
(2014), Vol. 7, pp. 339-350, Obesity Facts, Switzerland, C1
S Brumby, A Chandrasekara, P Kremer, S Torres, S McCoombe, P Lewandowski
(2013), Vol. 13, pp. 1-15, BMC public health, London, England, C1
A moderate-sodium DASH-type diet improves mood in postmenopausal women
S Torres, C Nowson
(2012), Vol. 28, pp. 896-900, Nutrition, New York, N.Y., C1
Dietary patterns are associated with cognition among older people with mild cognitive impairment
S Torres, N Lautenschlager, N Wattanapenpaiboon, K Greenop, C Beer, L Flicker, H Alfonso, C Nowson
(2012), Vol. 4, pp. 1542-1551, Nutrients, Basel, Switzerland, C1-1
Reducing psychological distress and obesity in Australian farmers by promoting physical activity
S Brumby, A Chandrasekara, S McCoombe, S Torres, P Kremer, P Lewandowski
(2011), Vol. 11, pp. 1-7, BMC Public Health, London, England, C1
Does stress induce salt intake?
S Torres, A Turner, C Nowson
(2010), Vol. 103, pp. 1562-1568, British journal of nutrition, Cambridge, England, C1
Depression, nutritional risk and eating behaviour in older caregivers
S Torres, M McCabe, C Nowson
(2010), Vol. 14, pp. 442-448, Journal of nutrition, health and aging, New York, N. Y., C1
Dietary electrolytes are related to mood
S Torres, C Nowson, A Worsley
(2008), Vol. 100, pp. 1038-1045, British journal of nutrition : an international journal of nutritional science, Cambridge, England, C1
Effect of a weight-loss program on mental stress-induced cardiovascular responses and recovery
S Torres, C Nowson
(2007), Vol. 23, pp. 521-528, Nutrition, London, England, C1
Relationship between stress, eating behavior and obesity
S Torres, C Nowson
(2007), Vol. 23, pp. 887-894, Nutrition, London, England, C1
Blood pressure response to dietary modifications in free-living individuals 1,2
C Nowson, A Worsley, C Margerison, M Jorna, A Frame, S Torres, S Godfrey
(2004), Vol. 134, pp. 2322-2329, Journal of nutrition, Bethesda, MD, C1
Direct patient contacts of dietetic students during their final clinical placement
S Torres, J Winter, H Matters, C Nowson
(2002), Vol. 59, pp. 18-22, Nutrition & dietetics, Deakin, A.C.T., C1
Funded Projects at Deakin
Australian Competitive Grants
Development of a Gold Standard Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial in Men Targeting Weight Loss and Fat Mass Loss
Prof Caryl Nowson, A/Prof Susan Torres, Dr Lisa Newman
DIA Grant - Research - Dairy Innovation Australia Limited
- 2015: $12,250
Other Public Sector Funding
NHMRC evidence review iodine-RFx5845 iodine (internal NHMRC number 2020-21RFQ009).
Prof Judi Porter, A/Prof Susan Torres, Prof Sarah McNaughton, Dr Ewa Szymlek-Gay, Dr Katherine Livingstone, Dr Claire Margerison, Dr Miaobing Zheng, Dr Kristy Bolton
National Health and Medical Research Council
- 2022: $67,165
- 2021: $17,018
NHMRC evidence review sodium - RFx5844 sodium (internal NHMRC number: 2020-21RFQ008).
A/Prof Susan Torres, Prof Judi Porter, Prof Sarah McNaughton, Dr Ewa Szymlek-Gay, Dr Katherine Livingstone, Dr Claire Margerison, Dr Miaobing Zheng, Dr Kristy Bolton
National Health and Medical Research Council
- 2022: $79,140
- 2021: $20,291
Supervisions
Melissa Bujtor
Thesis entitled: Lifestyle behaviours and well-being in children and adolescents
Doctor of Philosophy (Nutrition & Exercise) (Low Cost), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
Michael Hart
Thesis entitled: Diet, inflammation and cognitive function in mid-aged and older adults
Doctor of Philosophy (Nutrition & Exercise) (Low Cost), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
Sisitha Jayasinghe
Thesis entitled: Responsiveness to psychological stress and food intake: The influence of adiposity in men and physical activity in women
Doctor of Philosophy (Nutrition & Exercise) (Low Cost), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
Lisa Newman
Thesis entitled: Oral fatty acid sensitivity and dietary fat consumption
Doctor of Philosophy (Nutrition & Exercise) (Low Cost), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences