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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

Trump Defends Economic Record in North Carolina as Midterm Election Pressure Mounts

U.S. President Donald Trump traveled to the battleground state of North Carolina on Friday to defend his economic policies and reassure voters that the U.S. economy remains on solid footing, as concerns grow ahead of a...

EU Approves €90 Billion Ukraine Aid as Frozen Russian Asset Plan Stalls

Ukraine welcomed a major European Union decision on Friday to provide 90 billion in financial support over the next two years, a move Kyiv says will significantly strengthen its economic resilience amid the ongoing war...

Kevin Hassett Says Inflation Is Below Target, Backs Trump’s Call for Rate Cuts

White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett said President Donald Trump is correct in claiming inflation is low, despite official data, public sentiment, and many economists suggesting otherwise. Speaking on Fox Business,...

U.S. Stocks End Week Higher as Tech Rally Offsets Consumer Weakness

U.S. stocks closed higher on Friday, recovering from a volatile start to the week as gains in technology and AI-related shares outweighed sharp declines in consumer stocks such as Nike. Major indexes finished in positive...

EU Delays Mercosur Free Trade Agreement Signing Amid Ukraine War Funding Talks

The European Union has decided to delay the formal signing of its long-anticipated free trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc, as EU leaders convened in Brussels to prioritize discussions on funding Ukraines war effort....

Politics

U.S. Launches Large-Scale Airstrikes on ISIS Targets in Syria After Deadly Attack

The United States military carried out extensive airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) targets across Syria on Friday, escalating its response after a deadly attack on American personnel, according to U.S. officials. The...

Putin Envoy Heads to Miami for High-Stakes Talks as U.S. Pushes Ukraine Peace Deal

Russian President Vladimir Putins special envoy Kirill Dmitriev is traveling to Miami for talks with U.S. President Donald Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, according to a Russian source cited...

Russian Missile Strike on Odesa Port Kills Seven, Disrupts Key Trade Routes

A Russian missile attack late on Friday struck critical port infrastructure near Ukraines Black Sea port city of Odesa, killing at least seven people and injuring 15 others, according to Ukrainian officials. The attack...

Trump Nominates Lt. Gen. Frank Donovan to Lead U.S. Southern Command Amid Rising Tensions in Latin America

U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated Lieutenant General Frank Donovan, the vice commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, to become the next head of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the military body responsible...

Brazil Court Allows Bolsonaro Hospital Trip Amid Prison Sentence

Brazils Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has authorized former President Jair Bolsonaro to temporarily leave the Federal Police Superintendency in Brasília, where he is currently serving a 27-year prison...

Science

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

Blue Origins massive New Glenn rocket marked a major milestone as it completed its first mission for paying customers, sending two NASA satellites toward Mars and successfully landing its reusable booster at sea. The...

Cogent Biosciences Soars 120% on Breakthrough Phase 3 Results for Bezuclastinib in GIST Treatment

Cogent Biosciences (NASDAQ: COGT) shares skyrocketed over 120% after the biotech company announced groundbreaking results from its Phase 3 PEAK trial evaluating bezuclastinib in combination with sunitinib for patients with...

Technology

U.S. Lawmakers Urge Pentagon to Blacklist More Chinese Tech Firms Over Military Ties

A group of nine Republican U.S. lawmakers has formally urged the Pentagon to expand its list of Chinese companies accused of supporting Chinas military, intensifying scrutiny of Beijing-linked technology firms amid rising...

Dina Powell McCormick Resigns From Meta Board After Eight Months, May Take Advisory Role

Dina Powell McCormick has resigned from Meta Platforms board of directors effective immediately, just eight months after joining the social media company, Meta confirmed on Friday. The unexpected departure comes at a time...

TikTok U.S. Deal Advances as ByteDance Signs Binding Joint Venture Agreement

TikTok has taken a major step toward securing its future in the United States after its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, announced it has signed binding agreements with three major investors to form a new joint venture...

Trump Administration Reviews Nvidia H200 Chip Sales to China, Marking Major Shift in U.S. AI Export Policy

The U.S. government under President Donald Trump has launched a formal review that could pave the way for the first-ever shipments of Nvidias H200 artificial intelligence chips to China, according to multiple sources...

Oracle Stock Surges After Hours on TikTok Deal Optimism and OpenAI Fundraising Buzz

Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) shares surged sharply in extended trading on Thursday, reflecting renewed investor optimism fueled by reports of a potential U.S. TikTok transaction and fresh fundraising discussions...