Publications

The Good for Kids program is dedicated to research aimed at enhancing community health. This research focuses on understanding community health dynamics, developing scalable programs, and improving their implementation and sustainability. Our findings help us refine the healthy eating and physical activity services we offer. Additionally, this evidence supports and informs the state-wide implementation of the NSW Healthy Children's Initiative.

Childcare

Studies that describe the effectiveness of our programs in improving diet or physical activity outcomes for children (effectiveness trials):

2022 Pearson N, Finch M, Sutherland R, Kingsland M, Wolfenden L, Wedesweiler T, et al., 'An mHealth Intervention to Reduce the Packing of Discretionary Foods in Children's Lunch Boxes in Early Childhood Education and Care Services: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.', Journal of medical Internet research, 24 e27760 (2022) [C1] 
2021 Barnes C, Yoong SL, Nathan N, Wolfenden L, Wedesweiler T, Kerr J, et al., 'Feasibility of a Web-Based Implementation Intervention to Improve Child Dietary Intake in Early Childhood Education and Care: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial', JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH, 23 (2021) [C1] 
2020 Yoong SL, Grady A, Wiggers JH, Stacey FG, Rissel C, Flood V, et al., 'Child-level evaluation of a web-based intervention to improve dietary guideline implementation in childcare centers: A cluster-randomized controlled trial', American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 111 854-863 (2020) [C1] 
2019 Yoong SL, Grady A, Stacey F, Polimeni M, Clayton O, Jones J, et al., 'A pilot randomized controlled trial examining the impact of a sleep intervention targeting home routines on young children's (3-6 years) physical activity.', Pediatric obesity, 14 e12481 (2019) [C1] 
2019 Wolfenden L, Jones J, Parmenter B, Razak LA, Wiggers J, Morgan PJ, et al., 'Efficacy of a free-play intervention to increase physical activity during childcare: A randomized controlled trial', Health Education Research, 34 98-112 (2019) [C1] [C1] 
2019 Yoong SL, Grady A, Seward K, Finch M, Wiggers J, Lecathelinais C, et al., 'The Impact of a Childcare Food Service Intervention on Child Dietary Intake in Care: An Exploratory Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial', American Journal of Health Promotion, 33 991-1001 (2019) [C1] 
2018 Abdul Razak L, Yoong SL, Wiggers J, Morgan P, Jones J, Finch M, et al., 'Impact of scheduling multiple free-play periods in childcare on child moderate-to-vigorous physical activity: a cluster randomised trial', International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 15 1-13 (2018) [C1] 
2018 Seward K, Wolfenden L, Finch M, Wiggers J, Wyse R, Jones J, Yoong SL, 'Improving the implementation of nutrition guidelines in childcare centres improves child dietary intake: findings of a randomised trial of an implementation intervention.', Public health nutrition, 21 607-617 (2018) [C1] 

Studies that describe the effectiveness of strategies to implement our programs (implementation trials):

2020 Grady A, Wolfenden L, Wiggers J, Rissel C, Finch M, Flood V, et al., 'Effectiveness of a Web-Based Menu-Planning Intervention to Improve Childcare Service Compliance With Dietary Guidelines: Randomized Controlled Trial', JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH, 22 (2020) [C1] 
2020 Grady A, Seward K, Finch M, Wolfenden L, Wyse R, Wiggers J, et al., 'A three-arm randomised controlled trial of high-and low-intensity implementation strategies to support centre-based childcare service implementation of nutrition guidelines: 12-month follow-up', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 1-20 (2020) [C1] 
2019 Finch M, Seward K, Wedesweiler T, Stacey F, Grady A, Jones J, et al., 'Challenges of Increasing Childcare Center Compliance With Nutrition Guidelines: A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Intervention Providing Training, Written Menu Feedback, and Printed Resources', American Journal of Health Promotion, 33 399-411 (2019) [C1] 
2019 Finch M, Stacey F, Jones J, Yoong SL, Grady A, Wolfenden L, 'A randomised controlled trial of performance review and facilitated feedback to increase implementation of healthy eating and physical activity-promoting policies and practices in centre-based childcare', IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE, 14 (2019) [C1] 
2016 Yoong SL, Jones J, Marshall J, Wiggers J, Seward K, Finch M, et al., 'A theory-based evaluation of a dissemination intervention to improve childcare cooks' intentions to implement nutritional guidelines on their menus', IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE, 11 (2016) [C1] 
2015 Jones J, Wyse R, Finch M, Lecathelinais C, Wiggers J, Marshall J, et al., 'Effectiveness of an intervention to facilitate the implementation of healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices in childcare services: a randomised controlled trial', IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE, 10 (2015) [C1]
2015 Colin Bell A, Davies L, Finch M, Wolfenden L, Francis JL, Sutherland R, Wiggers J, 'An implementation intervention to encourage healthy eating in centre-based child-care services: Impact of the Good for Kids Good for Life programme', Public Health Nutrition, 18 1610-1619 (2015) [C1] 
2012 Finch M, Wolfenden L, Falkiner M, Edenden D, Pond N, Hardy L, et al., 'Impact of a population based intervention to increase the adoption of multiple physical activity practices in centre based childcare services: A quasi experimental, effectiveness study', International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 9 1-13 (2012) [C1]

Primary Schools

Studies that describe the effectiveness of our programs in improving diet or physical activity outcomes for children (effectiveness trials):

2022 Nathan N, McCarthy N, Hall A, Shoesmith A, Lane C, Jackson R, et al., 'Cluster randomised controlled trial to determine the impact of an activity enabling uniform on primary school student's fitness and physical activity: study protocol for the Active WeAR Everyday (AWARE) study', BMJ OPEN, 12 (2022)
2022 Murawski B, Reilly KL, Hope K, Hall AE, Sutherland RL, Trost SG, et al., 'Exploring the effect of a school-based cluster-randomised controlled trial to increase the scheduling of physical activity for primary school students on teachers' physical activity.', Health Promot J Austr, 33 373-378 (2022) [C1]
2022 Hall A, Wolfenden L, Shoesmith A, McCarthy N, Wiggers J, Bauman AE, et al., 'The impact of an implementation intervention that increased school's delivery of a mandatory physical activity policy on student outcomes: A cluster-randomised controlled trial', Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 25 321-326 (2022) [C1]
2021 Nathan N, McCarthy N, Hope K, Sutherland R, Lecathelinais C, Hall A, et al., 'The impact of school uniforms on primary school student's physical activity at school: outcomes of a cluster randomized controlled trial', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, 18 (2021) [C1]
2020 Nathan NK, Sutherland RL, Hope K, McCarthy NJ, Pettett M, Elton B, et al., 'Implementation of a school physical activity policy improves student physical activity levels: Outcomes of a cluster-randomized controlled trial', Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 17 1009-1018 (2020) [C1] 

Studies that describe the effectiveness of strategies to implement our programs (implementation trials):

2022 Lane C, Wolfenden L, Hall A, Sutherland R, Naylor P-J, Oldmeadow C, et al., 'Optimising a multi-strategy implementation intervention to improve the delivery of a school physical activity policy at scale: findings from a randomised noninferiority trial', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, 19 (2022) [C1]
2020 Nathan NK, Sutherland RL, Hope K, McCarthy NJ, Pettett M, Elton B, et al., 'Implementation of a school physical activity policy improves student physical activity levels: Outcomes of a cluster-randomized controlled trial', Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 17 1009-1018 (2020) [C1] 
2019 Nathan N, Wiggers J, Bauman AE, Rissel C, Searles A, Reeves P, et al., 'A cluster randomised controlled trial of an intervention to increase the implementation of school physical activity policies and guidelines: study protocol for the physically active children in education (PACE) study', BMC PUBLIC HEALTH, 19 (2019) 
2018 Reilly KL, Nathan N, Wiggers J, Yoong SL, Wolfenden L, 'Scale up of a multi-strategic intervention to increase implementation of a school healthy canteen policy: Findings of an intervention trial', BMC Public Health, 18 (2018) [C1] 
2017 Sutherland RL, Nathan NK, Lubans DR, Cohen K, Davies LJ, Desmet C, et al., 'An RCT to Facilitate Implementation of School Practices Known to Increase Physical Activity.', American journal of preventive medicine, 53 818-828 (2017) [C1] 
2017 Wolfenden L, Nathan N, Janssen LM, Wiggers J, Reilly K, Delaney T, et al., 'Multi-strategic intervention to enhance implementation of healthy canteen policy: a randomised controlled trial', IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE, 12 (2017) [C1] 
2016 Nathan N, Yoong SL, Sutherland R, Reilly K, Delaney T, Janssen L, et al., 'Effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention to enhance implementation of a healthy canteen policy in Australian primary schools: a randomised controlled trial', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, 13 (2016) [C1] 
2016 Yoong SL, Nathan N, Wolfenden L, Wiggers J, Reilly K, Oldmeadow C, Wyse R, Sutherland R, Delaney T, Butler P, Janssen L, Preece S, Williams CM. CAFÉ: a multicomponent audit and feedback intervention to improve implementation of healthy food policy in primary school canteens: a randomised controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2016
2012  Nathan NK, Wolfenden L, Bell AC, Wyse R, Morgan PJ, Butler MT, et al., 'Effectiveness of a multi-strategy intervention in increasing the implementation of vegetable and fruit breaks by Australian primary schools: A non-randomized controlled trial', BMC Public Health, 12 651 (2012) 

Sporting Clubs

Studies that describe the effectiveness of our programs in improving diet or physical activity outcomes for children (effectiveness trials):

2015 Wolfenden L, Kingsland M, Rowland BC, Dodds P, Gillham K, Yoong SL, et al., 'Improving availability, promotion and purchase of fruit and vegetable and non sugar-sweetened drink products at community sporting clubs: a randomised trial.', The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 12 35 (2015) 

Studies that describe the effectiveness of strategies to implement our programs (implementation trials)

2019 Clinton-McHarg T, Gonzalez S, Milner S, Sherker S, Kingsland M, Lecathelinais C, Hall A, Doran C, Wiggers J, Wolfenden L. Implementing health policies in Australian junior sports clubs: an RCT. BMC Public Health. 2019
2015 Wolfenden L, Kingsland M, Rowland BC, Dodds P, Gillham K, Yoong SL, et al., 'Improving availability, promotion and purchase of fruit and vegetable and non sugar-sweetened drink products at community sporting clubs: a randomised trial.', The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 12 35 (2015) 

Artwork: ‘Heart of a child’ by Lara Went Worimi Artist.