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Manager Childhood Obesity Prevention and Management, Dietitian, University of Sydney

Kyra Sim is the Manager for Childhood Obesity Prevention and Management for the Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) and an accredited practicing dietitian.

After completing her PhD investigating the effect of weight loss prior to fertility treatment in women with obesity, she has worked in a number of roles all related to obesity risk factors. Her PhD developed, implemented and assessed the effect of a multidisciplinary group weight loss program in women with obesity prior to commencing fertility treatment, which found a modest weight loss of 6.6 kg (or 6.9% of their initial weight), tripled pregnancy and live birth rates.

She was previously the Project and Research Officer of the BABY1000 study, a flagship project for the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney which hopes to identify the modifiable risks and interventions prior to, and during pregnancy that impact on later life health.

Experience

  • 2012–2016
    Project & research officer – BABY1000 Study, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney
  • 2016–2016
    Manager of childhood obesity & management, Sydney Local Health District
  • 2011–2013
    Project officer, The International Diabetes Federation
  • 2011–2012
    Research assistant, The Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise & Eating Disorders – Cardiology, The University of Sydney

Education

  • 2012 
    University of Sydney, Doctor of Philosophy
  • 2005 
    University of Sydney, Master of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • 2000 
    University of Otago, Bachelor of Science
  • 1999 
    University of Otago, Bachelor of Physical Education

Publications

  • 2016
    Prescott S, Allen K, Armstrong K, Collins C, Dickinson H, Gardiner K, Jacka F, Jasoni C, Moore T, Moritz K, Muhlhausler B, Siero W, Sim K, Nannan R, Saffery R, Singh G, Vickers M, Craig JM. The establishment of DOHaD working groups in Australia and New Zealand. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2016; 1-7. [Epub ahead of print],
  • 2016
    Cheney K, Sim KA, D'souza M, Pelosi M, Black KI. Unintended pregnancy amongst an early pregnancy clinic cohort: identifying opportunities for preventative health interventions. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol 2016; 56(4): 426-431.,
  • 2016
    Kizirian NV, Kong Y, Muirhead R, Overs S, Garnett SP, Petocz P, Sim K, Celermajer DS, Louie JCY, Markovic TP, Ross GP, Brand-Miller JC, Skilton MR. Can a low glycaemic index diet during pregnancy influence offspring growth, body composition and vascular health in the first year of life? A pilot randomised controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2016; 10(4): 1073-1082.,
  • 2014
    Sim KA, Partridge S, Sainsbury-Salis A. Does weight loss in overweight or obese women improve fertility treatment outcomes? A systematic review. Obes Rev 2014; 15: 839-850.,
  • 2014
    Sim KA, Dezarnaulds GM, Denyer GS, Skilton MR, Caterson ID. Weight loss improves reproductive outcomes for obese women undergoing assisted reproductive technology: a randomised controlled trial. Clin Obes 2014; 4(2): 61-68.,
  • 2014
    Aschner P, Beck-Nielsen H, Bennett P, Boulton A, Colagiuri R, Colagiuri S, McGill M, Sim K, Franz M, Gadsby R, Gagliardino JJ, Home P, Marshall S, Manley S, Mbanya JC, Neil A, Ramachandran A, Viswanathan V, Ramaiya K, Roglic G, Schaper N, Siminerio L, Sinclair A, Snoek F, Van Crombrugge P, Vespasiani G, International Diabetes Federation Guideline Development Group. Global guideline for type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Res Clin Prac 2014; 104(1): 1-52.,
  • 2014
    Gibson A, Sim KA, Caterson ID. Obesity. In: Nutrition for the primary care provider, Bier DM, Mann J, Alpers DH, Vorster E, Gibney MJ, editors. Basel: Karger; 2014. p. 104-109.,
  • 2013
    Skilton MR, Mikkilä V, Würtz P, Ala-Korpela M, Sim KA, Soininen P, Kangas AJ, Viikari JSA, Juonala M, Laitinen T, Lehtimäki T, Taittonen L, Kähönen M, Celermajer DS, Raitakari OT. Fetal growth, omega-3 fatty acids and progression of subclinical atherosclerosis: preventing fetal origins of disease? The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. AJCN 2013; 97(1): 58-65.,
  • 2013
    Sinclair A, Dunning T, Colagiuri S, Cho NH, Distller L, Dong B, Gadsby R, Goel A, Munshi M, Sinay I, Pruthi S, Madhu SV, Vasudevan V, Scanlon P, Ghanchi F, Hafiz A, Sim K, Jacqmain O. IDF global guideline for managing older people with type 2 diabetes. Brussels: International Diabetes Federation; 2013.,
  • 2013
    Sim KA, Dezarnaulds GM, Denyer G, Caterson ID. Substantial cost savings of a weight-loss programme in obese women undergoing fertility treatment. Obesity Facts 2013; 6 (Suppl 1): 36.,
  • 2013
    Gibson AA, Franklin J, Sim KA, Partridge SR, Caterson ID. Lifestyle approaches to obesity. Making it a less weighty issue. Endocrinol Today 2013; 2(4): 8-15.,
  • 2013
    Ne J, Celermajer, Sim K, Markovic T, Caterson I, Skilton M. Postprandial endothelial function and carotid intra-media thickness in severely obese individuals. Heart Lung Circ 2013; 22(1): S21.,
  • 2012
    Sim K, Denyer G, Caterson I. Weight loss improves reproductive outcomes for obese women undergoing assisted reproductive technology. Obesity Facts 2012; 5 (Suppl 1): 46.,
  • 2012
    Aschner P, Beck-Nielsen H, Bennett P, Boulton A, Colagiuri R, Colagiuri S, Franz M, Gadsby R, Gagliardino JJ, Home P, McGill M, Manley S, Marshall S, Mbanya J-C, Neil A, Ramachandran A, Ramaiya K, Roglic G, Schaper N, Siminerio L, Sinclair A, Snoek F, Van Crombrugge P, Vespasiani G, Viswanathan V, Sim K. Global guideline for type 2 diabetes. Brussels: International Diabetes Federation; 2012.,
  • 2012
    Sim K, Begg L, Palma-Dias R, Chin-Dusting J, Skilton M. Fetal and maternal antecedents of early vascular health: does maternal adiposity influence early atherosclerosis? Heart Lung Circ 2012; 21(1): S16,

Professional Memberships

  • Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Society of Australian and New Zealand
  • International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
  • Dietetics Association of Australia