Zenobia Talati
Research Fellow
BSc(Hons), MPsych/PhD
zenobia.talati@thekids.org.au
Dr. Zenobia Talati is a Research Fellow within the ORIGINS Project at The Kids Research Institute Australia. She is part of the ORIGINS Research and Translation Team and is involved in a number of sub-projects including Flourishing Child and Iron Child. She is also affiliated with Curtin University and The University of Western Australia.
Zenobia’s research focusses on the psychology of health behaviour change through a better understanding of the environmental and individual level factors which influence behaviour, particularly among young children (0 – 11 years old) and their parents. Her research finds direct application through partnerships with health agencies and not-for-profits where her findings can be used to inform health promotion programs and create healthier environments for children and their carers.
Zenobia has received funding through Healthway grants (as lead and co-investigator) and demand-driven research (where she has led a number of commissioned evaluation reports). Her work has been published in leading Q1 journals.
Published research
Cohort Profile: The ORIGINS pregnancy and birth cohort
Exploring Sugary Drink Consumption and Perceptions among Primary-School-Aged Children and Parents in Australia
Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) account for a significant proportion of sugar in the diet of children and are directly associated with obesity in this group. While there have been many studies on adolescent SSB consumption, few studies have examined the predictors of SSB consumption in primary-school-aged children. The aim of this study was to understand the degree to which a child's consumption across a range of beverages is influenced by their own attitudes and by their parents' attitudes and parents' consumption behaviours.
Dimensions of the diet-exercise relationship in later life: A qualitative study
Diet and physical activity are two lifestyle behaviours that are critical for healthy ageing. The aim of this study was to explore how older adults negotiate dietary and physical activity decisions to identify areas of intersection between these two behaviours and inform health promotion interventions targeting both diet and exercise.
The ORIGINS Project Biobank: A Collaborative Bio Resource for Investigating the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
Early onset Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), including obesity, allergies, and mental ill-health in childhood, present a serious and increasing threat to lifelong health and longevity. The ORIGINS Project (ORIGINS) addresses the urgent need for multidisciplinary efforts to understand the detrimental multisystem impacts of modern environments using well-curated large-scale longitudinal biological sample collections.
Education and Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science with Honours (Psychology) - The University of Western Australia
- Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology - The University of Western Australia
- Doctor of Philosophy - The University of Western Australia