Karen Thorpe

Prof. Karen Thorpe

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

36Years (1991-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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20 November 2017 in BMC Public Health
Verified
Journal Article
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Anthony (Tony) OkelyAnthony (Tony) Okely
Anthony (Tony) Okely
DGDavina Ghersi
Davina Ghersi
KHKylie D. Hesketh
Kylie D. Hesketh
Rute SantosRute Santos
Rute Santos
SLSarah Loughran
Sarah Loughran
MTMark S. Tremblay
Mark S. Tremblay
In 2017, the Australian Government funded the update of the National Physical Activity Recommendations for Children 0–5 years, with the intention that they be an integration of movement behaviours across the 24-h period. The benefit for Australia was that it could leverage research in Canada in the development of their 24-h guidelines for the early years. Concurrently, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) working group published a model to produce guidelines based on adoption, adaption and/or de novo development using the GRADE evidence-to-decision framework. Referred to as the GRADE-ADOLOPMENT approach, it allows guideline developers to follow a structured and transparent process in a more efficient manner, potentially avoiding the need to unnecessarily repeat costly tasks such as conducting systematic reviews. The purpose of this paper is to outline the process and outcomes for adapting the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years to develop the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years guided by the GRADE-ADOLOPMENT framework. The development process was guided by the GRADE-ADOLOPMENT approach. A Leadership Group and Consensus Panel were formed and existing credible guidelines identified. The draft Canadian 24-h integrated movement guidelines for the early years best met the criteria established by the Panel. These were evaluated based on the evidence in the GRADE tables, summaries of findings tables and draft recommendations from the Canadian Draft Guidelines. Updates to each of the Canadian systematic reviews were conducted and the Consensus Panel reviewed the evidence for each behaviour separately and made a decision to adopt or adapt the Canadian recommendations for each behaviour or create de novo recommendations. An online survey was then conducted (n = 302) along with five focus groups (n = 30) and five key informant interviews (n = 5) to obtain feedback from stakeholders on the draft guidelines. Based on the evidence from the Canadian systematic reviews and the updated systematic reviews in Australia, the Consensus Panel agreed to adopt the Canadian recommendations and, apart from some minor changes to the wording of good practice statements, keep the wording of the guidelines, preamble and title of the Canadian Guidelines. The Australian Guidelines provide evidence-informed recommendations for a healthy day (24-h), integrating physical activity, sedentary behaviour (including limits to screen time), and sleep for infants (<1 year), toddlers (1–2 years) and preschoolers (3–5 years). To our knowledge, this is only the second time the GRADE-ADOLOPMENT approach has been used. Following this approach, the judgments of the Australian Consensus Panel did not differ sufficiently to change the directions and strength of the recommendations and as such, the Canadian recommendations were adopted with very minor alterations. This allowed the Guidelines to be developed much faster and at lower cost. As such, we would recommend the GRADE-ADOLOPMENT approach, especially if a credible set of guidelines, with all supporting materials and developed using a transparent process, is available. Other countries may consider using this approach when developing and/or revising national movement guidelines.

13 April 1991 in BMJ
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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KTKaren Thorpe
Karen Thorpe
JGJean Golding
Jean Golding
IMI MacGillivray
I MacGillivray
RGR Greenwood
R Greenwood
OBJECTIVE--To determine whether the apparent additional and exceptional stresses associated with bearing and parenting twins affect the emotional wellbeing of mothers. SETTING--Great Britain, 1970-5. DESIGN--Cohort study of 13,135 children born between 4 April and 11 April 1970. Mothers of all children, both singletons and twins, were interviewed by health visitors (providing demographic data) and completed a self report measure of emotional well-being (the Rutter malaise inventory) when the child was 5 years of age. The malaise scores of mothers of twins were compared with those of all mothers of singletons and then with those of mothers categorised by the age spacing of their children (only one child, widely spaced, or closely spaced), taking account of maternal age, social class, and whether the study child had a disability, by using logistic regression. SUBJECTS--139 mothers of twins--122 pairs of twins and 17 twins whose cotwin had died--and 12,573 controls, who were mothers of singletons. RESULTS--A significantly higher proportion of mothers of twins at 5 years had malaise scores indicative of depression than mothers of singletons at the same age. Mothers who had borne twins, one of whom had subsequently died, had the highest malaise scores and were three times more likely than mothers of singletons to experience depression. Both mothers of twin pairs and mothers of singletons closely spaced in age were at significantly higher risk of experiencing depression than mothers of children widely spaced in age or mothers of only one child (p less than 0.0001). Odds ratios indicated that the risk of depression in mothers of twins was higher than that in mothers of closely spaced singletons. CONCLUSION--Mothers of twins are more likely to experience depression. This suggests a relation between the additional and exceptional stresses that twins present and the mother's emotional wellbeing.

1 November 2018 in The Journal of Pediatrics
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
LSLeon Straker
Leon Straker
JZJuliana Zabatiero
Juliana Zabatiero
SDSusan Danby
Susan Danby
KTKaren Thorpe
Karen Thorpe
SESusan Edwards
Susan Edwards

1 July 2015 in Pediatrics
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Journal Article
Open access
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LDL. Daniels
L. Daniels
KMKimberley Margaret Mallan
Kimberley Margaret Mallan
JNJan Maree Nicholson
Jan Maree Nicholson
KTKaren Thorpe
Karen Thorpe
SNSmita Nambiar
Smita Nambiar
AMAnthea Magarey
Anthea Magarey
OBJECTIVE: Report long-term outcomes of the NOURISH randomized controlled trial (RCT), which evaluated a universal intervention commencing in infancy to provide anticipatory guidance to first-time mothers on “protective” complementary feeding practices that were hypothesized to reduce childhood obesity risk. METHODS: The NOURISH RCT enrolled 698 mothers (mean age 30.1 years, SD = 5.3) with healthy term infants (51% female). Mothers were randomly allocated to usual care or to attend two 6-session, 12-week group education modules. Outcomes were assessed 5 times: baseline (infants 4.3 months); 6 months after module 1 (infants 14 months); 6 months after module 2 (infants 2 years) and at 3.5 and 5 years of age. Maternal feeding practices were self-reported using validated questionnaires. BMI Z-score was calculated from measured child height and weight. Linear mixed models evaluated intervention (group) effect across time. RESULTS: Retention at age 5 years was 61%. Across ages 2 to 5 years, intervention mothers reported less frequent use of nonresponsive feeding practices on 6 of 9 scales. At 5 years, they also reported more appropriate responses to food refusal on 7 of 12 items (Ps ≤ .05). No statistically significant group effect was noted for anthropometric outcomes (BMI Z-score: P = .06) or the prevalence of overweight/obesity (control 13.3% vs intervention 11.4%, P = .66). CONCLUSIONS: Anticipatory guidance on complementary feeding resulted in first-time mothers reporting increased use of protective feeding practices. These intervention effects were sustained up to 5 years of age and were paralleled by a nonsignificant trend for lower child BMI Z-scores at all postintervention assessment points.

1 March 2003 in Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
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KTKaren Thorpe
Karen Thorpe
MRMichael Rutter
Michael Rutter
RGRosemary Greenwood
Rosemary Greenwood

29 May 2020 in Journal of Educational Change
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Journal Article
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TTThe Early Years Workforce Study team
The Early Years Workforce Study team
KTKaren Thorpe
Karen Thorpe
EJElena Jansen
Elena Jansen
VSVictoria Sullivan
Victoria Sullivan
SISusan Irvine
Susan Irvine
PMPaula McDonald
Paula McDonald