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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

South Korea Warns Weak Won Could Push Inflation Higher in 2025

South Koreas central bank has warned that inflation next year could exceed earlier projections if the Korean won remains weak against the U.S. dollar, raising concerns about price stability and currency market pressures....

Chinese Robotaxi Stocks Rally as Tesla Boosts Autonomous Driving Optimism

Chinese robotaxi stocks surged in Hong Kong trading on Wednesday, tracking strong overnight gains in Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) as investor optimism around autonomous driving and ride-hailing technology continued to build....

Asian Currencies Slip as Dollar Strengthens; Indian Rupee Rebounds on Intervention Hopes

Most Asian currencies edged lower on Wednesday as investors weighed the U.S. Federal Reserves future interest rate path following mixed signals from the latest U.S. labor market data. At the same time, the Indian rupee...

Gold and Silver Surge as Safe Haven Demand Rises on U.S. Economic Uncertainty

Gold prices climbed during Asian trading on Wednesday, while silver prices surged to a fresh all-time high, as growing concerns over the U.S. economy fueled strong demand for safe haven assets. Investors increasingly...

Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Oil Tankers, Raising Venezuela Tensions and Oil Prices

U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, dramatically escalating Washingtons pressure on President Nicolas Maduros government and...

Politics

NSW to Recall Parliament for Urgent Gun and Protest Law Reforms After Bondi Beach Shooting

The Australian state of New South Wales will recall parliament next week to pass sweeping reforms to gun ownership and protest laws following the countrys deadliest mass shooting in more than 30 years. The move comes just...

Pakistan’s Army Chief Faces Gaza Troop Dilemma Amid US Pressure

Pakistans most powerful military leader in decades, Field Marshal Asim Munir, is facing a critical test of his expanded authority as the United States presses Islamabad to contribute troops to a proposed Gaza stabilisation...

Trump Taps Former DHS Official Troy Edgar for U.S. Ambassador Role in El Salvador

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he intends to nominate Troy Edgar as the next United States ambassador to El Salvador, highlighting the administrations continued focus on strengthening diplomatic and...

Lukashenko Urges Swift Ukraine Peace Deal, Backs Trump’s Push for Rapid Resolution

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has called for urgent action to end the war in Ukraine, voicing support for U.S. President Donald Trumps push for a rapid resolution while Washington continues diplomatic efforts...

Trump Administration Moves to Keep TransAlta Coal Plant Running Amid Rising AI Power Demand

The U.S. Energy Secretary has signed an emergency order to keep a key coal-fired power unit at the TransAlta-owned Centralia Generating Station in Washington state operating through much of the winter, marking the latest...

Science

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...

Trump and Merck KGaA Partner to Slash IVF Drug Costs and Expand Fertility Coverage

U.S. President Donald Trump and German pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA have announced a groundbreaking deal aimed at lowering the cost of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments while boosting access to fertility care in...

Technology

noyb Files GDPR Complaints Against TikTok, Grindr, and AppsFlyer Over Alleged Illegal Data Tracking.

A European privacy advocacy group has filed fresh complaints against TikTok, Grindr, and AppsFlyer, accusing the companies of violating European Union privacy laws by unlawfully tracking and sharing sensitive user data...

MetaX IPO Soars as China’s AI Chip Stocks Ignite Investor Frenzy

Shares of Chinese AI chipmaker MetaX Integrated Circuits delivered a stunning market debut, soaring more than 600% above their initial public offering price as domestic investors poured into local semiconductor stocks. The...

Apple Explores India for iPhone Chip Assembly as Manufacturing Push Accelerates

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is reportedly in early-stage discussions with Indian semiconductor companies to explore the assembly and packaging of iPhone components in India, marking a potential shift in the companys global...

Amazon in Talks to Invest $10 Billion in OpenAI as AI Firm Eyes $1 Trillion IPO Valuation

Amazon.com Inc is reportedly in discussions to make a major investment in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, in a potential deal that could value the artificial intelligence company at more than $500 billion, according to a...

SUPERFORTUNE Launches AI-Powered Mobile App, Expanding Beyond Web3 Into $392 Billion Metaphysics Market

SUPERFORTUNE, a web3 AI application incubated by Manta Network, has launched its first mobile application, expanding beyond crypto-native users into the global consumer market. The SUPERFORTUNE mobile app delivers...