Dr Robyn Littlewood – Chief Executive, Health and Wellbeing Queensland
As leader of the state’s first dedicated prevention agency, Dr Littlewood is a passionate advocate for health promotion in Queensland.
Dr Littlewood believes every Queenslander has the right to better health, with expertise in driving outcomes for individual patients and populations in the area of non-communicable diseases. She is relentless in driving policy and action to achieve fairness for all and reach the right communities at the right time.
An experienced leader, researcher, clinician, academic and educator, Dr Littlewood has more than 25 years’ experience working with the most vulnerable patients and families across paediatric obesity prevention, nutrition and dietetics.
Dr Littlewood holds a raft of formal qualifications in dietetics, business, research and executive leadership from Queensland University of Technology (QUT), James Cook University and The University of Queensland (UQ). These include a PhD, Master of Business Administration, Master of Medical Science and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. As such, bringing universities, industry, government and communities together to solve problems is key to her work.
She currently holds three Adjunct Professor appointments with Griffith University, QUT and UQ, and is proud to be working with these outstanding teaching and research universities. Dr Littlewood remains passionate about education, fostering student learning opportunities at HWQld.
Before her Chief Executive appointment in 2019, Dr Littlewood was a member of the inaugural HWQld board and held titles including Director, Health Services Research, Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service and Conjoint Associate Professor, Nutrition at UQ. While Director of specialist private nutrition practice ChildD, she led the first national paediatric dietetics training course in Australia, alongside Dietitians Australia.
Dr Littlewood has been awarded for her work and proudly accepted the QUT Outstanding Alumni Award (Health) in 2020. She has also held several Board roles including Board Director, Dietitians Australia, and has been awarded Fellow, Dietitians Australia for her service.
Dr Littlewood holds a range of national and Queensland clinical and academic positions and has been an invited speaker at state, national and international conferences. Her extensive list of publications includes co-authoring ‘Digital health and precision prevention: shifting from disease-centred care to consumer-centred health’ in peer-reviewed journal, Australian Health Review.
She is most passionate about children’s health, especially those who need it the most. Through her role at HWQld, Dr Littlewood’s focus remains firmly on driving an agenda of equity to ensure the next generation of Queenslanders live healthy and active lives.
Journal Article: Exploring the long‐term sustainability of school‐based nutrition and food programs: what works, where and why?
Fathi, Leila I., Yang, Danyu, Walker, Jacqueline L., Robinson, Mark, Littlewood, Robyn A. and Truby, Helen (2024). Exploring the long‐term sustainability of school‐based nutrition and food programs: what works, where and why?. Health Promotion Journal of Australia. doi: 10.1002/hpja.847
Fathi, Leila Isabella, Walker, Jacqueline, Dix, Clare Frances, Cartwright, Jessica Rose, Joubert, Suné, Carmichael, Kerri Amelia, Huang, Yu-Shan, Littlewood, Robyn and Truby, Helen (2023). Applying the Integrated Sustainability Framework to explore the long-term sustainability of nutrition education programs in schools: a systematic review – CORRIGENDUM. Public Health Nutrition, 26 (12), 3380-3380. doi: 10.1017/s1368980023002483
Journal Article: Dietary strategies for obesity
Walker, Jacqueline L. and Littlewood, Robyn (2023). Dietary strategies for obesity. Nutrients, 15 (19) 4275, 1-3. doi: 10.3390/nu15194275
BDHP - Maternal and Child Health Theme
(2017–2022) Brisbane Diamantina Health Partners - Metro South
(2024) Doctor Philosophy
Implementing Design Thinking and Community-Based Participatory Research Frameworks to Improve Nutrition-Related Health Behaviours and Skills in Vulnerable Adolescents in a Community-Based Setting.
Doctor Philosophy
Doing things differently - how do we optimise care for those children and adolescents at risk or living with type 2 diabetes?
Doctor Philosophy
Fathi, Leila I., Yang, Danyu, Walker, Jacqueline L., Robinson, Mark, Littlewood, Robyn A. and Truby, Helen (2024). Exploring the long‐term sustainability of school‐based nutrition and food programs: what works, where and why?. Health Promotion Journal of Australia. doi: 10.1002/hpja.847
Fathi, Leila Isabella, Walker, Jacqueline, Dix, Clare Frances, Cartwright, Jessica Rose, Joubert, Suné, Carmichael, Kerri Amelia, Huang, Yu-Shan, Littlewood, Robyn and Truby, Helen (2023). Applying the Integrated Sustainability Framework to explore the long-term sustainability of nutrition education programs in schools: a systematic review – CORRIGENDUM. Public Health Nutrition, 26 (12), 3380-3380. doi: 10.1017/s1368980023002483
Dietary strategies for obesity
Walker, Jacqueline L. and Littlewood, Robyn (2023). Dietary strategies for obesity. Nutrients, 15 (19) 4275, 1-3. doi: 10.3390/nu15194275
Fathi, Leila, Walker, Jacqueline, Dix, Clare, Cartwright, Jessica, Joubert, Suné, Carmichael, Kerri, Huang, Yu-Shan, Littlewood, Robyn and Truby, Helen (2023). Applying the Integrated Sustainability Framework to explore the long-term sustainability of nutrition education programs in schools: a systematic review. Public Health Nutrition, 26 (10), 2165-2179. doi: 10.1017/s1368980023001647
Hardt, Jessica, Canfell, Oliver J., Walker, Jacqueline L., Webb, Kerri-Lyn, Brignano, Sebastien, Kira, Kirstine, Peu, Tevita, Santos, Daphne, Bernard, Anne and Littlewood, Robyn (2023). Healthier Together: Implementation and evaluation of a co-designed, culturally tailored childhood obesity community prevention program for Māori and Pacific Islander children and families. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 1-16. doi: 10.1002/hpja.803
Searle, Bonnie, Staton, Sally, Littlewood, Robyn and Thorpe, Karen (2023). Mealtimes in the context of poverty: comparison of ECEC services providing food and those requiring food provided from home. Child: Care, Health and Development, 49 (6), 995-1005. doi: 10.1111/cch.13109
Lu, Zhen Qi, Geus, Hanna, Roest, Sanna, Payne, Leanne, Krishnamoorthy, Govind, Littlewood, Robyn, Hoyland, Margaret, Stathis, Stephen, Bor, William and Middeldorp, Christel M. (2022). Characteristics and treatment outcomes of children and adolescents accessing treatment in Child and Youth Mental Health Services. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 16 (12), 1297-1308. doi: 10.1111/eip.13275
Chai, Li Kheng, Farletti, Rebecca, Fathi, Leila and Littlewood, Robyn (2022). A rapid review of the impact of family-based digital interventions for obesity prevention and treatment on obesity-related outcomes in primary school-aged children. Nutrients, 14 (22) 4837, 1-19. doi: 10.3390/nu14224837
Eapen, Valsamma, Liaw, Siaw-Teng, Lingam, Raghu, Woolfenden, Susan, Jalaludin, Bin, Page, Andrew, Kohlhoff, Jane, Scott, James G., Lawson, K. D., Lam-Cassettari, Christa, Heussler, Helen, Descallar, Joseph, Karlov, Lisa, Ong, Natalie, Colditz, Paul B., Littlewood, Robyn, Murphy, Elisabeth, Deering, April, Short, Kate, Garg, Pankaj, Blight, Victoria, Rodgers, Kim, Chalmers, Lucille, Webb, Kerri-Lyn, Atkins, Heidi, Newcomb, Dana, Beswick, Rachael, Thomas, Clare, Marron, Catherine ... Pritchard, Margo (2022). Watch me grow integrated (WMG-I): protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial of a web-based surveillance approach for developmental screening in primary care settings. BMJ Open, 12 (8) e065823, 1-9. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-065823
Walker, Jacqueline L., Dix, Clare, Hardt, Jessica, Farletti, Rebecca and Littlewood, Robyn (2022). What do health professionals and parents want as part of an online childhood obesity prevention program?. Childhood Obesity, 19 (2), 88-101. doi: 10.1089/chi.2021.0313
Canfell, Oliver J., Littlewood, Robyn, Wright, Olivia R. L. and Walker, Jacqueline L. (2022). “We’d be really motivated to do something about it”: a qualitative study of parent and clinician attitudes towards predicting childhood obesity in practice. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 34 (2), 398-409. doi: 10.1002/hpja.611
Canfell, Oliver J., Davidson, Kamila, Woods, Leanna, Sullivan, Clair, Cocoros, Noelle M., Klompas, Michael, Zambarano, Bob, Eakin, Elizabeth, Littlewood, Robyn and Burton-Jones, Andrew (2022). Precision public health for non-communicable diseases: an emerging strategic roadmap and multinational use cases. Frontiers in Public Health, 10 854525, 1-10. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.854525
Vincze, Lisa, Boswell, Megan, Atkins, Heidi, Littlewood, Robyn and Williams, Lauren (2022). Addressing childhood obesity in Queensland: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker perspectives and practices. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 33 (S1), 163-173. doi: 10.1002/hpja.585
Searle, Bonnie-Ria E., Staton, Sally S., Littlewood, Robyn and Thorpe, Karen (2022). Associations between food provision and feeding practices in socially disadvantaged childcare centres. Appetite, 169 105811, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105811
Empowerment approaches in childhood weight management: A systematic review
Earle, Renae, Littlewood, Robyn, Nalatu, Simone and Walker, Jacqueline (2022). Empowerment approaches in childhood weight management: A systematic review. Childhood Obesity, 18 (1), 2-30. doi: 10.1089/chi.2021.0049
Canfell, Oliver J., Littlewood, Robyn, Burton-Jones, Andrew and Sullivan, Clair (2021). Digital health and precision prevention: shifting from disease-centred care to consumer-centred health. Australian Health Review, 46 (3), 279-283. doi: 10.1071/ah21063
Vincze, Lisa, Barnes, Katelyn, Somerville, Mari, Littlewood, Robyn, Atkins, Heidi, Rogany, Ayala and Williams, Lauren T. (2021). Cultural adaptation of health interventions including a nutrition component in Indigenous peoples: a systematic scoping review. International Journal for Equity in Health, 20 (1) 125, 1-13. doi: 10.1186/s12939-021-01462-x
Littlewood, Robyn, Canfell, Oliver J. and Walker, Jacqueline L. (2021). Response to ‘Systematic reviews do not always capture context of real-world intervention programmes for childhood obesity’ by Wild et al., 2021 in BMC Public Health. BMC Public Health, 21 (1) 500, 500. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-10487-4
Canfell, Oliver J., Littlewood, Robyn, Wright, Olivia R. L. and Walker, Jacqueline L. (2021). i‐PATHWAY : Development and validation of a prediction model for childhood obesity in an Australian prospective birth cohort. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 57 (8), 1250-1258. doi: 10.1111/jpc.15436
Hardt, Jessica, Canfell, Oliver J., Walker, Jacqueline L., Webb, Kerri-Lyn, Brignano, Sebastien, Peu, Tevita, Santos, Daphne and Littlewood, Robyn (2021). Healthier together: co-design of a culturally-tailored childhood obesity community prevention program for Māori and Pacific Islander children and families. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 32 Suppl 1 (S1), 143-154. doi: 10.1002/hpja.438
Duncanson, K., Shrewsbury, V., Burrows, T., Chai, L. K., Ashton, L., Taylor, R., Gow, M., Ho, M., Ells, L., Stewart, L., Garnett, S., Jensen, M. E., Nowicka, P., Littlewood, R., Demaio, A., Coyle, D. H., Walker, J. L. and Collins, C. E. (2021). Impact of weight management nutrition interventions on dietary outcomes in children and adolescents with overweight or obesity: a systematic review with meta‐analysis. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 34 (1), 147-177. doi: 10.1111/jhn.12831
Littlewood, Robyn, Canfell, Oliver J. and Tracey, Frank (2020). Correction to: Building a Children's Health Service and System Research Strategy: development and integration in an Australian paediatric healthcare setting (BMC health services research (2020) 20 1 (589)). BMC health services research, 20 (1) 620, 620. doi: 10.1186/s12913-020-05509-7
Littlewood, Robyn, Canfell, Oliver J. and Tracey, Frank (2020). Building a Children’s Health Service and System Research Strategy: development and integration in an Australian paediatric healthcare setting. BMC Health Services Research, 20 (1) 589, 589. doi: 10.1186/s12913-020-05267-6
Littlewood, Robyn, Canfell, Oliver J. and Walker, Jacqueline L. (2020). Interventions to prevent or treat childhood obesity in Māori & Pacific Islanders: a systematic review. BMC Public Health, 20 (1) 725, 725. doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-08848-6
Specialist children's obesity management services: what makes a difference in outcomes?
Walker, Jacqueline L., Malley, Rebecca, Littlewood, Robyn and Capra, Sandra (2020). Specialist children's obesity management services: what makes a difference in outcomes?. Asian Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 12 (1), 10-20. doi: 10.3923/ajcn.2020.10.20
Walker, Jacqueline L., Littlewood, Robyn, Rogany, Ayala and Capra, Sandra (2020). Implementation of the ‘Healthier Drinks at Healthcare Facilities’ strategy at a major tertiary children's hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 44 (4) 1753-6405.13013, 295-300. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.13013
Current pharmacotherapy options for conduct disorders in adolescents and children
Khan, Sohil, Down, John, Aouira, Nisreen, Bor, William, Haywood, Alison, Littlewood, Robyn, Heussler, Helen and McDermott, Brett (2019). Current pharmacotherapy options for conduct disorders in adolescents and children. Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 20 (5), 571-583. doi: 10.1080/14656566.2018.1561862
Response to 'Clinical relevance and validity of obesity risk prediction tools' by Redsell et al
Canfell, Oliver J., Littlewood, Robyn, Wright, Olivia R. L. and Walker, Jacqueline L. (2018). Response to 'Clinical relevance and validity of obesity risk prediction tools' by Redsell et al. Public Health Nutrition, 21 (17), 1-2. doi: 10.1017/S1368980018002471
Canfell, Oliver J., Littlewood, Robyn, Wright, Olivia R. L. and Walker, Jacqueline L. (2018). Clinical relevance and validity of tools to predict infant, childhood and adulthood obesity: a systematic review. Public Health Nutrition, 21 (17), 1-13. doi: 10.1017/S1368980018001684
Shrewsbury, Vanessa A., Burrows, Tracy, Ho, Mandy, Jensen, Megan, Garnett, Sarah P., Stewart, Laura, Gow, Megan L., Ells, Louisa J., Chai, Li Kheng, Ashton, Lee, Walker, Jacqueline L., Littlewood, Robyn, Coyle, Daisy, Nowicka, Paulina, Ashman, Amy, Demaio, Alessandro, Duncanson, Kerith and Collins, Clare (2018). Update of the best practice dietetic management of overweight and obese children and adolescents: a systematic review protocol. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, 16 (7), 1495-1502. doi: 10.11124/JBISRIR-2017-003603
Walker, Jacqueline L. and Littlewood, Robyn (2018). Pragmatic implementation studies to improve nutrition practices and policies: childcare during the first 1000 days as a contributor to long-term health. Public Health Nutrition, 21 (7), 1209-1211. doi: 10.1017/S1368980018000022
Walker, Jacqueline L, Malley, Rebecca, Littlewood, Robyn and Capra, Sandra (2017). The Need for Early Referral: Characteristics of Children and Adolescents Who Are Overweight and Obese Attending a Multidisciplinary Weight Management Service. Children (Basel, Switzerland), 4 (11) 93, 1-10. doi: 10.3390/children4110093
Simple nutrition screening tool for pediatric inpatients
White, Melinda, Lawson, Karen, Ramsey, Rebecca, Dennis, Nicole, Hutchinson Zoe, Soh, Xin Ying, Matsuyama, Misa, Doolan, Annabel, Todd, Alwyn, Elliott, Aoife, Bell, Kristie and Littlewood, Robyn (2016). Simple nutrition screening tool for pediatric inpatients. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 40 (3), 392-398. doi: 10.1177/0148607114544321
White, Melinda, Dennis, Nicole, Ramsey, Rebecca, Barwick, Katie, Graham, Christie, Kane, Sarah, Kepreotes, Helen, Queit, Leah, Sweeney, Annabel, Winderlich, Jacinta, See, Denise Wong and Littlewood, Robyn (2015). Prevalence of malnutrition, obesity and nutritional risk of Australian paediatric inpatients: a national one-day snapshot. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 51 (3), 314-320. doi: 10.1111/jpc.12709
Littlewood, R. A., White, M. S., Bell, K. L., Davies, P. S. W., Cleghorn, G. J. and Grote, R. (2002). Comparison of the Cosmed K4 b(2) and the Deltatrac II (TM) metabolic cart in measuring resting energy expenditure in adults. Clinical Nutrition, 21 (6), 491-497. doi: 10.1054/clnu.2002.0580
Sigafoos, J. S. and Littlewood, R. (1999). Communication intervention on the playground: A case study on teaching requesting to a young child with autism. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 46 (3), 421-429. doi: 10.1080/103491299100579
Reduced body cell mass following severe head injury in children: Implications for rehabilitation
Littlewood, R. A., Wotton, M., Trocki, O., Shepherd, Ross William and Shepherd, Karin (1999). Reduced body cell mass following severe head injury in children: Implications for rehabilitation. Paediatric Rehabilitation, 3 (3), 95-99. doi: 10.1080/136384999289504
Littlewood, Robyn, Raethke, Lorissa, Freese, Jessica, Newcomb, Dana, Moss, Perrin, Walker, Jacqueline and Tracey, Frank (2019). Utilising the Project ECHO (R) model of education to empower health professional in the management of Childhood Overweight and Obesity. International Conference on Integrated Care, San Sebastian, Spain, 1-3 April 2019. London, United Kingdom: Ubiquity Press. doi: 10.5334/ijic.s3254
Weller, Kate, Littlewood, Robyn and Webb, Kerri-Lyn (2018). Queensland Child and Youth Clinical Network – influencing children’s health policy through collaboration. 1st Asia Pacific Conference on Integrated Care, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 6-8 November 2017. London, United Kingdom: Ubiquity Press. doi: 10.5334/ijic.s1013
An equation to predict percent fat in the paediatric oncology population
White M., Davies, P. S. W., Murphy, A. J. and Littlewood, R. (2010). An equation to predict percent fat in the paediatric oncology population. Australian and New Zealand Children’s Haematology and Oncology Group Annual Scientific Meeting, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 31 August - 3 September 2010.
Prediction of body fat in pediatric oncology
White, Melinda, Davies, Peter S., Murphy, Alexia and Littlewood, Robyn (2010). Prediction of body fat in pediatric oncology. Clinical Nutrition Week, Las Vegas, NV, U.S.A., 8-12 February. Thousand Oaks, CA, U.S.A.: Sage Publications.
Measured resting energy expenditure in children with myelomeningocele
Littlewood, R., Wotton, M., Trocki, O., Shepherd, R. and Shepherd, K. (1999). Measured resting energy expenditure in children with myelomeningocele. American Dietetic Association Annual Meeting and Exhibition, Atlanta Georgia USA, 18-21 October 1999. USA: American Dietetic Association. doi: 10.1016/S0002-8223(99)00738-5
Muscle wasting following severe traumatic injury in children - Implication
Littlewood, R., McGowan, J., Trocki, O. and Shepherd, K. (1999). Muscle wasting following severe traumatic injury in children - Implication. 7th Annual Scientific Meeting of AFRM, Hilton Hotel Adelaide SA, 23-27, March 1999.
BDHP - Maternal and Child Health Theme
(2017–2022) Brisbane Diamantina Health Partners - Metro South
Implementing Design Thinking and Community-Based Participatory Research Frameworks to Improve Nutrition-Related Health Behaviours and Skills in Vulnerable Adolescents in a Community-Based Setting.
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Doing things differently - how do we optimise care for those children and adolescents at risk or living with type 2 diabetes?
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Implementing at Scale the First Allied Health (AH)-led Program to Treat Paediatric Overweight and Obesity
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Tackling the Nutrition Burden with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Led and Co- Designed Healthy Living Program
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Creating sustainable food environments for Queensland based primary schools through the implementation of Health and Wellbeing Qld 'Pick of the Crop' program
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
(2024) Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
i-PATHWAY: a clinical prediction model to prevent childhood obesity
(2020) Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors: