About Mary-Anne Chamoun

I have been working in a clinical dietitian setting since 2007, after graduating from the University of Sydney. My expertise lies in providing personalised nutrition therapy to address various chronic health concerns, including diabetes, insulin resistance, PCOS, high cholesterol, fatty liver, high blood pressure, coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). I am also passionate about providing nutrition therapy to women during perimenopause and menopause, autoimmune diseases and gut health optimisation. My fundamental focus is to reduce body inflammation and meet the changed nutrition requirements once progressing throughout differing life stages, particularly in the presence of a new medical diagnosis.

Since January 2023, I have taken on a dietetics aged care role, consulting to nursing homes directly and building on my clinical skills including enteral feeding, nutrient deficiencies and malnutrition screening. It is my belief that the prevention of unintentional weight loss is of great importance to clients, particularly those who are recovering from illness or who have lost their appetite. I can assist by providing suitable high energy and high protein meal options and/or nutrition supplements if required, which will ensure that muscle loss is minimised.

I also work closely with clients who are looking to lose weight, including those who have had weight loss surgery. I have completed a Clinical Dietetics for Bariatric Surgery course devised by Dietitians Australia. My role is to provide assistance, from pre-surgery preparation to a fluid diet, puree diet, soft diet and then finally transition to normal textured foods. Throughout this rapid rate of muscle loss, it is my role to ensure adequate protein intake and answer all questions related to issues that may arise after weight loss surgery. This may include the prevention of constipation and dehydration, nutrient and vitamin supplementation, dumping syndrome and weight regain.

I am trained on the use of a low FODMAP diet for IBS by Monash University, to tackle this growing and often confusing area. I will be able to provide guidance on a low FODMAP baseline diet, followed by systematic ‘challenges’ to assess whether IBS symptoms are sensitive to FODMAP’s. Hence, this will determine tolerance thresholds and allow for FODMAP personalisation. Thus, FODMAP restrictions may be relaxed, as greater food variety is allowed once the dose dependant FODMAPs are better understood.

I am always working to stay up to date with the latest nutrition developments including food intolerance. Most people with food intolerances are sensitive to more than one substance comprising of natural food chemicals (e.g. salicylates, amines and glutamates), as well as common food additives. My role involves helping to identify triggers and optimising symptom control. Additionally, being a mother of 3 children, I strongly emphasise the need to be creating lifestyle habits that will last a lifetime. My prime goal for the treatment of overweight children is not to focus on weight loss but rather cease further weight gain, thus allowing children to work towards meeting a lower percentile target as they grow older and taller.

Mary-Anne consults at Milsons Point, Mount Kuring-Gai and West Pennant Hills.