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Lauren Ball

Associate Professor/ Principal Research Fellow, Griffith University
My goal is to reorient primary health care to focus on healthy lifestyles and healthy environments.

I work with community members, health professionals, education providers, and professional bodies to research how patients are better supported in primary care to eat well. I implement interventions and programs, so that general practitioners, nurses, dietitians, nutritionists, pharmacists, and other health professionals feel confident in nutrition and have the skills to meet patients’ needs. I also work with Primary Health Networks to better understand how primary care services can be reoriented to put nutrition and other lifestyle behaviours at the forefront of the health care system.

I have published over 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles and attracted over $3 million in research funding from government bodies, non-government organisations, and philanthropic foundations. I am a Principal Research Fellow at Griffith University with strong external funding support, including an NHMRC Investigator Grant (EL2). I am lead of Healthy Primary Care at Griffith University, Global Strategic Lead for the NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition and Health, Committee member of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Handbook for Non-Drug Interventions, Associate Editor for the Australian Journal of Primary Health and Family Practice journal and Executive Committee member of the Australasian Association for Academic Primary Care.

Got period pain or cramps? What to eat and avoid, according to science

Dec 22, 2023 11:07 am UTC| Health

Painful periods are common. More than half of people who menstruate have some pain for up to three days a month, typically throbbing or cramping in the lower abdomen. Digestive changes such as vomiting, gas, bloating,...

How is decaf coffee made? And is it really caffeine-free?

Nov 01, 2023 07:02 am UTC| Business

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and its high levels of caffeine are among the main reasons why. Its a natural stimulant that provides an energy buzz, and we just cant get enough. However, some...

Can coffee help you avoid weight gain? Here's what the science says

Oct 15, 2023 04:04 am UTC| Health

Coffee is well recognised as having a positive impact on long-term health. Drinking the equivalent of three to four cups of instant coffee a day reduces the risk of many health conditions including heart disease, type 2...

Is TikTok right – will eating three carrots a day really give me a natural tan?

Sep 28, 2023 02:51 am UTC| Technology

A beauty trend gaining popularity on TikTok, dubbed the carrot tan, claims eating three carrots a day will give you a natural tan. But can this really give you a natural glow? And is it healthy? Why would carrots...

How can I lower my cholesterol? Do supplements work? How about psyllium or probiotics?

Sep 18, 2023 06:29 am UTC| Health

Your GP says you have high cholesterol. Youve six months to work on your diet to see if thatll bring down your levels, then youll review your options. Could taking supplements over this time help? You cant rely on...

Calories and kilojoules: how do we know the energy content of food, and how accurate are the labels?

Aug 22, 2023 04:18 am UTC| Health

Everything we consume contains energy our bodies use to move, grow and maintain health. To work out how much energy is in different foods and drinks, we need to first look at a few core concepts. Firstly, youve probably...

3 reasons you feel hungrier and crave comfort foods when the weather turns cold

Apr 06, 2023 08:01 am UTC| Health

As we move through Autumn, parts of Australia are starting to see cooler weather. For some of us, that can mean increasing feelings of hunger and cravings for comfort food such as as pasta, stews and ramen. But whats...

Economy

U.S. Crude Oil Exports Surge Toward Record Highs Amid Global Supply Crisis

The United States came remarkably close to becoming a net crude oil exporter last week for the first time since World War Two, as American shipments surged to meet surging international demand. The dramatic shift was...

Chile's Kast Unveils 40-Point Economic Reform Package to Boost Growth

Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast introduced a sweeping economic reform package this week, outlining 40 measures aimed at reinvigorating the countrys economy and stabilizing employment. Addressing the nation for the...

China's Economy Surpasses Q1 2026 Growth Forecasts

Chinas economy outperformed expectations in the first quarter of 2026, with official GDP data released Thursday confirming a 5% year-on-year expansion ahead of the 4.8% analysts had forecast and a notable acceleration...

China's New Home Prices Continue to Fall in March Despite Signs of Recovery in Major Cities

Chinas new home prices extended their downward trend in March, according to fresh data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, though some of the countrys largest cities began showing modest month-on-month...

China's Economy Shows Resilience Amid Global Headwinds in March

Chinas industrial output climbed 5.7% year-on-year in March, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, surpassing analyst forecasts of 5.5% from a Reuters poll of 36 economists. Despite the...

Politics

Russia Launches Deadly Missile and Drone Strikes Across Ukraine, Killing Three Including a Child

Russian forces launched a wave of missile and drone attacks on multiple Ukrainian cities in the early hours of Thursday, leaving three people dead among them a 12-year-old boy and wounding more than 20 others. The...

Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Attempting to Block Hawaii's Climate Case Against Oil Giants

A federal judge in Honolulu has dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit that sought to prevent Hawaii from pursuing climate change litigation against major fossil fuel companies in state court. U.S. District Judge Helen...

Pentagon Taps Auto Giants to Supercharge U.S. Weapons Production

The Pentagon is in early discussions with major American manufacturers including automotive leaders General Motors and Ford Motor about redirecting a portion of their factory capacity and workforce toward producing...

U.S. Senate Blocks Resolutions to Halt $450 Million Weapons Sale to Israel

The U.S. Senate voted Wednesday to reject two resolutions that sought to block approximately $450 million in military equipment sales to Israel, including bombs and bulldozers. Republicans united in opposition to the...

DHS Shutdown Delays World Cup Security Planning Despite Full Funding Release

The U.S. government has successfully released all $625 million in federally approved security funding for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but an ongoing shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security continues to disrupt...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

Sam Altman Moves to Dismiss Punitive Damages in Sister's Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, has filed a motion in St. Louis federal court seeking to strike punitive damages from a civil lawsuit brought by his sister, Annie Altman, who accuses him of repeated sexual abuse...

Samsung Races to Deliver Next-Gen HBM4E Memory Samples to Nvidia

Samsung Electronics is pushing hard to deliver engineering samples of its next-generation HBM4E high-bandwidth memory to Nvidia as early as next month, according to South Korean outlet ChosunBiz. The move signals Samsungs...

ASML Raises 2026 Revenue Outlook as AI Chip Demand Surges

ASML Holding N.V. lifted its full-year 2026 revenue forecast after the Dutch semiconductor equipment giant surpassed first-quarter profit and sales expectations. The results were fueled by accelerating AI-driven chip...

Federal Agencies Secretly Test Anthropic's AI Despite Trump Administration Ban

Despite a formal directive from President Donald Trump ordering federal agencies to stop using Anthropics artificial intelligence technology, multiple U.S. government bodies have been quietly evaluating the companys latest...

KKR's $820M Investment Fuels Samsung SDS AI Expansion, Sending Group Shares Soaring

Samsung Group stocks rallied sharply on Wednesday following KKRs announcement of a major strategic partnership with Samsung SDS, reigniting investor confidence in the conglomerates artificial intelligence and digital...