To investigate the association between plant-based diets (PBD) and overweight/obesity compared to regular meat eaters in older women.

Cross-sectional analysis.

1946–1951 birth cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH). PBD were categorised as vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian and regular meat eaters. Outcomes included body weight (BW), BMI and waist circumference (WC).

Women who completed Survey 7 (n 9102) with complete FFQ data.

Compared to regular meat eaters, BW, BMI and WC were significantly lower in pesco-vegetarians (−10·2 kg (95 % CI −5·1, −15·2); −3·8 kg/m2 (95 % CI −2·0, −5·6); −8·4 cm (95 % CI −3·9, −12·9)) and BW and BMI lower in lacto-ovo vegetarians (−7·4 kg (95 % CI −1·2, −13·6); −2·9 kg/m2 (95 % CI −0·6, −5·1)). In regular meat eaters, individuals consuming meat daily or multiple times/d had significantly higher BW, BMI and WC compared to those consuming meat >2 times/week but <daily or multiple times/d (2·5 kg (95 % CI 1·5, 3·5); 0·9 kg/m2 (95 % CI 0·5, 1·3) and 2·2 cm (95 % CI 1·3, 3·1)) and those consuming meat >1 but ≤2 times/week (6·8 kg (95 % CI 1·8, 11·8); 2·1 kg/m2 (95 % CI 0·3, 4·0) and 6·0 cm (95 % CI 1·7, 10·4)). This association was dose-dependent such that for every increase in category of weekly meat intake (i.e. >1 time/week but ≤2 times/week; >2 times/week but less than daily, and daily or multiple times/d), an associated 2·6 kg (95 % CI 1·8, 3·4) increase in BW, 0·9 kg/m2 (95 % CI 0·6, 1·2) increase in BMI and 2·3 cm (95 % CI 1·6, 3·0) increase in WC was reported.

BW, BMI and WC are lower in women following PBD and positively associated with increasing meat consumption. Results were robust to adjustment for confounders including physical activity levels, smoking status, habitual alcohol intake, use of supplements, and hormone replacement therapy.

During pregnancy, the imperative to stop smoking becomes urgent due to health risks for mother and baby.

Explore responses to a smoking-related, pregnancy-focused Risk Behaviour Diagnosis (RBD) Scale over time with Aboriginal1 pregnant women.

Six Aboriginal Medical Services in three states recruited 22 eligible women: ⩽28 weeks' gestation, ⩾16 years old, smoked tobacco, pregnant with an Aboriginal baby. Surveys were completed at baseline (n = 22), 4-weeks (n = 16) and 12-weeks (n = 17). RBD Scale outcome measures included: perceived threat (susceptibility and severity), perceived efficacy (response and self-efficacy), fear control (avoidance), danger control (intentions to quit) and protection responses (protecting babies).

At baseline, the total mean threat scores at 4.2 (95% CI: 3.9–4.4) were higher than total mean efficacy scores at 3.9 (95% CI: 3.6–4.1). Over time there was a non-significant reduction in total mean threat and efficacy; fear control increased; danger control and protection responses remained stable. Reduction of threat and efficacy perceptions, with raised fear control responses, may indicate a blunting effect (a coping style which involves avoidance of risks).

In 22 Aboriginal pregnant women, risk perception changed over time. A larger study is warranted to understand how Aboriginal women perceive smoking risks as the pregnancy progresses so that health messages are delivered accordingly.

Systemic barriers impacting smoking cessation in pregnant women may include nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) access and training.

Assess general practitioner (GP) and obstetrician's agreement with system-based changes to improve the management of smoking in pregnancy; compare group responses.

National cross-sectional survey with two samples: (1) online survey emailed to a random sample of 500 GPs from Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP); (2) paper survey posted to 5571 GPs and obstetricians from Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG). Percentages agreeing that specified changes would improve the management of smoking in pregnancy were calculated. Pairwise comparisons used Kruskal–Wallis tests (RACGP/RANZCOG GPs/obstetricians).

N = 378 participated. Response rates 8.4% (N = 42; online survey) and 6% (N = 335; paper survey), respectively. Total percentages agreeing with system-based changes: 79% training, 64% oral NRT subsidy, 62% Medicare item for smoking cessation, 54% improved access to NRT patches. Within RANZCOG, more GPs (73.1%) agreed that oral NRT should be subsidised (P = 0.001) than obstetricians (53.7%).

GPs and obstetricians agreed that system changes would improve their management of smoking in pregnancy. Oral NRT subsidy was the only pairwise group difference. Subsequently, oral NRT has been subsidised; in time, this may influence prescribing and quit rates.

To explore if better diet quality scores as a measure of adherence to the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) and the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) are associated with a lower incidence of hypertension and non-fatal CVD.

Prospective analysis of the 1946–1951 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH). The Australian Recommended Foods Score (ARFS) was calculated as an indicator of adherence to the ADG; the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) measured adherence to the MedDiet. Outcomes included hypertension and non-fatal CVD. Generalised estimating equations estimated OR and 95 % CI across quartiles of diet quality scores.

Australia, 2001–2016.

1946–1951 cohort of the ALSWH (n 5324), without CVD, hypertension and diabetes at baseline (2001), with complete FFQ data.

There were 1342 new cases of hypertension and 629 new cases of non-fatal CVD over 15 years of follow-up. Multivariate analysis indicated that women reporting better adherence to the ARFS (≥38/74) had 15 % (95 % CI 1, 28 %; P = 0·05) lower odds of hypertension and 46 % (95 % CI 6, 66 %; P = 0·1) lower odds of non-fatal CVD. Women reporting better adherence to the MDS (≥8/17) had 27 % (95 % CI 15, 47 %; P = 0·0006) lower odds of hypertension and 30 % (95 % CI 2, 50 %; P = 0·03) lower odds of non-fatal CVD.

Better adherence to diet quality scores is associated with lower risk of hypertension and non-fatal CVD. These results support the need for updated evidenced based on the ADG as well as public health nutrition policies in Australia.