Table 1 Measures and methods

Body composition: anthropometry.

Anthropometric measurements (height, weight, circumferences) using ISAK protocol and standards.

(NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative Expert Panel on the Identification Evaluation and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults 1998)

Stadiometer, Lufkin tape.

Body composition.

- Profile in terms of BMI (weight, height)

- Risk in terms of circumferences and ratios (waist, hip, height).

Body composition profile – fat and lean mass.

-

(Ling et al. 2011)

Bioelectrical Impedance (BIA) (InBody230, Biospace Co. Ltd, Seoul).

Body composition - (fat and lean mass).

- total

-

(Noreen and Lemon 2006; Wingfield et al. 2014)

Air displacement Plethysmography (BodPod) (2007A, Life Measurement Inc, Concord, Ca., using software V4.2+ as supplied by the manufacturer).

Body composition - (fat and lean mass).

- total

-

(Boneva-Asiova and Boyanov 2008)

Dual XRay Absorptiometry (DXA) (Hologic QDR Discovery A, Hologic Inc, Bedford, MA. with APEX V. 3.2 software.

Body composition - (fat and lean mass).

- total

- regional

Metabolic health – biomarkers.

Analysis will be conducted by fully accredited laboratory with IANZ to the ISO 15189.

-

Blood sampling to capture plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triacylglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, insulin, serum hs-CRP, Il6, TNF-alpha, HbA1C, Leptin, Ghrelin.

Biomarkers related to metabolic health (lipid profile, glucose control, inflammation, hormonal control).

Metabolic health – blood pressure.

-

(Ogedegbe and Pickering 2010)

Blood pressure measurement Riester Ri-Chamion N digital blood pressure monitor, using one of two arm cuff sizes (22-32 cm or 32-48 cm).

Blood pressure related to metabolic health.

Metabolic health – gene expression

-

(Russell et al. 2012; Zacharewicz et al. 2014 )

miRNA - use specific primer and probes sets as per the manufacturer’s instructions (Applied Biosystems, Carlsbad, USA) using an MX3000p thermal cycler system. miRNA species will be measured using published techniques.

MiRNA related to energy expenditure.

Diet Quality

Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ)

(Ministry of Health NZ 1997; McNaughton 2011; Mishra et al. 2010)

Analysis using Foodworks7 2010 (Xyris Software (Australia) Pty Ltd, Queensland, Australia).

Dietary adequacy

- energy intake

- nutrient intake

Patterns of food and nutrient intake.

Diet Quality

Eating Habits Questionnaire

Developed in this study

-

Dietary habits

- eating habits

- meal distribution

- food choices.

Dietary Variety

Dietary Diversity Questionnaire (DDQ)

Developed in this study; mostly based on foods in the FFQ

-

Dietary diversity

Food variety.

Dietary Behaviour

Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ)

(Stunkard and Messick 1985)

-

Dietary behaviour

- Restraint,

- Disinhibition,

- Hunger.

Physical Activity patterns

-

(Pescatello and American College of Sports Medicine 2014)

WGT3X Actigraph

Objective real life physical activity

Physical activity expenditure

- sedentary activities

- intensity of activity.

Physical Activity diary

-

-

Self-reported accelerometer non-wear time

Self-reported intentional exercise

– time

- duration

- type

- intensity.

Physical Activity behaviour

Recent Physical Activity Questionnaire (RPAQ)

(Besson et al. 2010)

-

Self-reported physical activities

- sedentary activities

- time

- intensity.

Taste perception, intensity, and hedonic preference

-

(Lim et al. 2008; Bartoshuk et al. 2004)

Rate intensity and hedonic preference of sweet and fat taste on a gLMS.

Sweet and fat taste sensitivity and preference.