Research Fellow
Affiliate Research Fellow
Overview
I am a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Digital Health and Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) interested in the prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases, especially obesity, across the lifecourse.
Through research, I aim to add health to life and equity to health by changing policies and practices to reduce the impact of obesity.
My research program aims to forge a new nexus across dietetics, digital health and public health to improve healthy weight. In my Postdoctoral Fellowship, I have established a new evidence base that supports precision public health approaches to the prevention and management of obesity, including innovate methods of public health surveillance that can use data from sources such as electronic medical records. I trained as a Paediatric Dietitian and have experience as a clinician-researcher working in Queensland's healthcare system, specifically in preventing and managing childhood obesity via clinical, community, and public health programs.
I have used epidemiology, public health informatics, action research, co-design, and ethnographic methods to generate new knowledge in obesity and digital health. I was awarded my PhD (UQ) in November 2020, which developed and validated i-PATHWAY, a clinical model to predict childhood obesity from the first 1,000 days to help guide its prevention. This research was the first of its kind in Australia and uncovered new evidence for risk factors for childhood obesity that are evident from the early years.
At The University of Queensland (UQ), I am a member of the Queensland Digital Health Centre, located within the Centre for Health Services Research (Faculty of Medicine). I established and currently Co-Chair the UQ Digital Health HDR Cohort, which provides research mentorship and support to ~20 PhD, MPhil and Honours research students.
Our team partners closely with multiple healthcare and research organisations across Australia to innovate and translate obesity research into practice, including Health and Wellbeing Queensland (public health and prevention of chronic diseases), Queensland Health (healthcare system) and the Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre (digital health research). I hold an Honorary Appointment with Health and Wellbeing Queensland, and an Affiliate Research Fellow position with the Faculty of Medicine (UQ) to help bridge the gap between obesity research and practice.
Research Interests
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Obesity
Clinical prevention, health promotion -
Digital health
Artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, digital hospitals, digital transformation -
Precision public health
Public health surveillance of noncommunicable diseases
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
- Master of Dietetics Studies, The University of Queensland
- Bachelor of Exercise and Nutrition Science, The University of Queensland
Publications
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Journal Article: A step in the right direction: the potential role of smartwatches to support chronic disease prevention in health care
Mattison, Graeme, Canfell, Oliver J., Forrester, Doug, Dobbins, Chelsea, Smith, Daniel, Reid, David and Sullivan, Clair (2023). A step in the right direction: the potential role of smartwatches to support chronic disease prevention in health care. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (9), 1-5. doi: 10.5694/mja2.51920
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Journal Article: Precision public health for non-communicable diseases: an emerging strategic roadmap and multinational use cases
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
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Journal Article: i‐PATHWAY : Development and validation of a prediction model for childhood obesity in an Australian prospective birth cohort
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
Grants
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Digital public health to transform obesity prevention in Queensland
(2023) UQ Knowledge Exchange & Translation Fund
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A mixed-methods study to evaluate the trust and confidence in telehealth in chronic kidney disease
(2022–2023) University of Queensland In-kind/Indirect Funding
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(2022–2023) Queensland Health
Supervision
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digital hospital benefits: a shift to value
Doctor Philosophy
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Utilising data in digital technology to improve health services for patients with under-recognised gynaecology conditions.
Doctor Philosophy
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Applied predictive algorithms in clinical care in Australian hospitals
Doctor Philosophy
Publications
Featured Publications
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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
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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
Journal Article
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Mattison, Graeme, Canfell, Oliver J., Forrester, Doug, Dobbins, Chelsea, Smith, Daniel, Reid, David and Sullivan, Clair (2023). A step in the right direction: the potential role of smartwatches to support chronic disease prevention in health care. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (9), 1-5. doi: 10.5694/mja2.51920
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Show me the money: how do we justify spending health care dollars on digital health?
Woods, Leanna, Eden, Rebekah, Canfell, Oliver J., Nguyen, Kim‐Huong, Comans, Tracy and Sullivan, Clair (2023). Show me the money: how do we justify spending health care dollars on digital health?. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (2), 53-57. doi: 10.5694/mja2.51799
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Real-world data for precision public health of noncommunicable diseases: a scoping review
Canfell, Oliver J., Kodiyattu, Zack, Eakin, Elizabeth, Burton-Jones, Andrew, Wong, Ides, Macaulay, Caroline and Sullivan, Clair (2022). Real-world data for precision public health of noncommunicable diseases: a scoping review. BMC Public Health, 22 (1) 2166. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-14452-7
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Canfell, Oliver J., Davidson, Kamila, Sullivan, Clair, Eakin, Elizabeth E. and Burton-Jones, Andrew (2022). PREVIDE: A Qualitative Study to Develop a Decision-Making Framework (PREVention decIDE) for Noncommunicable Disease Prevention in Healthcare Organisations. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (22) 15285, 1-18. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192215285
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Canfell, Oliver J, Meshkat, Yasaman, Kodiyattu, Zack, Engstrom, Teyl, Chan, Wilkin, Mifsud, Jayden, Pole, Jason D., Byrne, Martin, Raders, Ella Van and Sullivan, Clair (2022). Understanding the digital disruption of health care: an ethnographic study of real-time multidisciplinary clinical behavior in a new digital hospital. Applied Clinical Informatics, 13 (5), 1079-1091. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1758482
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Kamel Rahimi, Amir, Canfell, Oliver J., Chan, Wilkin, Sly, Benjamin, Pole, Jason D., Sullivan, Clair and Shrapnel, Sally (2022). Machine learning models for diabetes management in acute care using electronic medical records: a systematic review. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 162 104758, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2022.104758
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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
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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
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Canfell, Oliver J., Davidson, Kamila, Sullivan, Clair, Eakin, Elizabeth and Burton-Jones, Andrew (2022). Data sources for precision public health of obesity: a scoping review, evidence map and use case in Queensland, Australia. BMC Public Health, 22 (1) 584, 584. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-12939-x
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Lim, Han Chang, Austin, Jodie A., van der Vegt, Anton H., Rahimi, Amir Kamel, Canfell, Oliver J., Mifsud, Jayden, Pole, Jason D., Barras, Michael A., Hodgson, Tobias, Shrapnel, Sally and Sullivan, Clair M. (2022). Toward a learning health care system: a systematic review and evidence-based conceptual framework for implementation of clinical analytics in a digital hospital. Applied Clinical Informatics, 13 (02), 339-354. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1743243
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The influence of wearables on healthcare outcomes in chronic disease: a systematic review (Preprint)
Mattison, Graeme, Canfell, Oliver, Forrester, Douglas, Dobbins, Chelsea, Smith, Daniel, Töyräs, Juha and Sullivan, Clair (2022). The influence of wearables on healthcare outcomes in chronic disease: a systematic review (Preprint). Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24 (7) e36690, e36690. doi: 10.2196/36690
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
Other Outputs
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i-PATHWAY: a clinical prediction model to prevent childhood obesity
Canfell, Oliver (2020). i-PATHWAY: a clinical prediction model to prevent childhood obesity. PhD Thesis, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/29964bd
Grants (Administered at UQ)
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Digital public health to transform obesity prevention in Queensland
(2023) UQ Knowledge Exchange & Translation Fund
-
A mixed-methods study to evaluate the trust and confidence in telehealth in chronic kidney disease
(2022–2023) University of Queensland In-kind/Indirect Funding
-
(2022–2023) Queensland Health
PhD and MPhil Supervision
Current Supervision
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digital hospital benefits: a shift to value
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
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Utilising data in digital technology to improve health services for patients with under-recognised gynaecology conditions.
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
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Applied predictive algorithms in clinical care in Australian hospitals
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
