Public Health Expert • Mar 24, 2017 •
Professor Tony Blakely, Dr Kirsten Coppell, Dr Cristina Cleghorn, Dr Andrea Teng Is body mass index (BMI) relentlessly increasing in NZ, or plateauing? In this blog we present trends in BMI by ethnicity in NZ going back to the 1980s. Over the last four decades the annual increase in BMI is linear, relentless increasing; no sign of a plateau, yet. Read More
Guest Work • Jan 18, 2017 •
New research calls into question a test used to identify diabetes risk. But we shouldn’t throw out the baby with bathwater, warn Prof Jim Mann and Dr Paul Dury. An Oxford University study and accompanying editorial, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), have raised questions regarding the most appropriate approach to prevent or delay the onset of … Read More
Public Health Expert • Dec 16, 2016 •
By Prof Tony Blakely, Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Cristina Cleghorn, Dr Linda Cobiac A study published today finds that the UK soft drink levy being introduced in 2017 is likely to benefit health (reduced obesity, diabetes and dental caries) – when considering a range of different Drinks Industry responses. In this Blog we comment on these results and the … Read More
John Kerr • Oct 26, 2016 •
E-cigarettes may have a part to play in fighting the growing obesity epidemic, say New Zealand researchers. Electronic cigarettes have been welcomed by some, but not all, public health researchers as a potential new tool to help smokers kick the tobacco habit. Now a new commentary published today in Nicotine & Tobacco Research lays out the case for vaping – using e-cigarettes – … Read More
John Kerr • Aug 30, 2016 •
It seems the weather is no excuse. New Zealand’s cold, wet and windy urban centers are also where the most people get out walking and cycling. Source: NZTA The findings come from a new report examining levels of active transport – getting around by foot or bicycle – and overall population health in New Zealand’s six largest cities. The … Read More
John Kerr • Aug 19, 2016 •
“The world currently faces a critical shortage of therapeutic drugs to treat disorders such as bacterial infections and chronic pain”, says scientist Dr Eric Buenz. “The New Zealand bush may have the answers.” Eric has highlighted his search for new drugs in a video entered into Thinkable’s ‘180 Seconds of Science’ competition, sponsored by the Royal Society of New … Read More
John Kerr • Aug 08, 2016 •
An Australian researcher has spoken out against a growing number of claims that the Paleo diet – consisting largely of low-carbohydrate food – can help to manage or even reverse diabetes. Writing in the Medical Journal of Australia, Associate Professor Sof Andrikopoulos from the University of Melbourne says despite dozens of websites urging people with diabetes to go … Read More
John Kerr • Jul 28, 2016 •
The world needs to lift its game when it comes to exercise, warn public health researchers, saying we face a “global pandemic” of physical inactivity. The call comes as part of Special Series published today in leading medical journal The Lancet. The authors of the Series warn there has been too little progress in tackling the global pandemic of physical inactivity, … Read More
Erica Mather • Aug 13, 2015 •
Researchers from the University of Otago have identified a key protein which triggers heart disease in people with diabetes. Their results pave the way for future development of new therapies to combat the cardiovascular complications in diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic illness that currently affects 380 million people worldwide and this is expected to double by 2035. Over 50 … Read More
John Pickering • Mar 11, 2015 •
“In ancient times the Persian philosopher Avicenna [Ibn Sina] noted that urine may be retained in crisis of fever (s393) and prescribed hot oil baths (s413)(1). Unfortunately, apart from the supportive therapy of dialysis, there has been little progress since in the treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI).”(2) Given that getting AKI at least doubles […] … Read More