PAEDIATRIC OBESITY PREVENTION, NUTRITION AND DIETETICS
With
Dr Robyn Littlewood, Chief Executive,
Health and Wellbeing Queensland & Adjunct Professor, University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology & Griffith University, Australia
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Brisbane, Australia | December 2025
Dr Robyn Littlewood is the CEO of Health and Wellbeing Queensland, the state’s prevention agency committed to fostering a healthier and more equitable Queensland.
With over 25 years of experience in clinical care, research and education, Dr Littlewood has made significant contributions to paediatric healthcare. Dr Littlewood is a published author with over 100 publications and has recently released her first book on health and wellbeing for Queensland. She has trained hundreds of students over two decades of frontline service.
Leveraging a systems-based and collaborative approach, Dr Littlewood continues to drive research and data outcomes in the area of health and wellbeing. Dr Littlewood leads a dedicated team focused on making healthy happen for all Queenslanders, with a particular focus on improving health outcomes for our next generation.
Dr Littlewood holds a raft of formal qualifications including a Bachelor of Science and Postgraduate Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics, a Master of Medical Science, a Masters of Business Administration and a PhD. Dr Littlewood has also completed a number of postgraduate qualifications in executive leadership and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Dr Littlewood holds Adjunct Professor appointments from UQ, QUT and Griffith universities, has been awarded Fellow of Dietitians Australia, the Barbara Chester Award and QUT Health Alumni of the year in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the dietetics profession.
Source: Supplied
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9955-3662
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CASE STUDY Role of Exercise in Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease
Dr. Shelley Keating AES AEP* is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, a researcher, and a senior lecturer at the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Dr. Keating’s research primarily focuses on the role of exercise in the management of metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. MASLD affects a significant portion of the global adult population, with many individuals unaware of their condition.
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Investigating the benefits of donor human milk for preterm infants
Together, SAHMRI and Lifeblood are leading a consortium to revolutionise the way human milk, and novel products made from human milk, are used as nutritional and medical interventions to improve health outcomes in vulnerable infants, but with potential application for a diverse range of medical indications.
Currently, babies who are born early preterm – before 32 weeks – are given donor milk when their own mother’s milk is not available or in short supply. Whether donor milk is beneficial for babies born just a few weeks early is unclear, as very little research has been undertaken with these babies.
The GIFT Trial will soon commence as an investigation between SAHMRI, the University of Adelaide, the Red Cross Lifeblood Milk Bank conducted at five sites across three states in Australia.
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Non-invasive tools for CVD screening and monitoring
Dr Hadi Afsharan is a Research Fellow Cardiovascular Science & Diabetes at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research; is a translational research and innovation fellow in medical technologies at The University of Western Australia, holding dual titles as Translational Fellow and Innovation Fellow within UWA’s Medical School and the FHRI (Future Health Research and Innovation) program.
