Tagged: Uncategorized

Featured image: The need for a robust scientific definition for the elimination of COVID-19 from New Zealand

The need for a robust scientific definition for the elimination of COVID-19 from New Zealand - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • May 05, 2020 •

Prof Michael Baker, Prof Nick Wilson, Prof Shaun Hendy, Prof David Skegg New Zealand is making good progress towards its elimination goal for COVID-19 at the country-level. In this blog we present the case for a scientific definition of elimination to help guide our national COVID-19 response. The definition must be objectively verifiable, with appropriate levels of testing … Read More

Featured image: Updating the role of the state: the case of housing in New Zealand

Updating the role of the state: the case of housing in New Zealand - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Feb 17, 2020 •

Prof Philippa Howden-Chapman Housing policy is building up to be the key election issue again. In this blog I reflect on the importance of the role of the New Zealand Government in improving access to affordable housing. I look at what the Government has been doing to increase quality public housing and to reduce homelessness and why the public housing waiting … Read More

Featured image: Nine Things New Zealand Must Do To Tackle The Child Obesity Crisis

Nine Things New Zealand Must Do To Tackle The Child Obesity Crisis - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Jul 25, 2017 •

Dr Stefanie Vandevijvere, Professor Boyd Swinburn A panel of 71 independent and government experts have undertaken an evaluation of New Zealand Government food environment policies, compared to international best practice.  This is the second such evaluation, the first being in 2014.  In this blog we summarise the findings. There are some areas where New Zealand is at the level of … Read More

Featured image: Nationwide Colorectal Screening in New Zealand

Nationwide Colorectal Screening in New Zealand - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Jul 20, 2017 •

Dr Melissa McLeod and Professor Tony Blakely Nationwide Colorectal Screening in New Zealand: a tricky balance of improving overall population health and addressing inequalities In this blog we will discuss a paper recently published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention [1] by the BODE3 team, which modelled a nationwide colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programme for New Zealand. We … Read More

Featured image: Let’s talk about taxing those sweet, sweet sugary drinks

Let’s talk about taxing those sweet, sweet sugary drinks - Unsorted

Public Health Expert • Jul 05, 2017 •

How much revenue would a New Zealand sugary drink tax raise? And how might be best to do it? Last week a FIZZ symposium was run in Auckland. A key focus was moving New Zealand towards adopting a sugary drink tax. As part of the policy briefing prepared for this FIZZ Symposium, we were asked to estimate the revenue from … Read More

Featured image: ‘Potentially toxic’ nanoparticles in baby formula – why the sensationalist headlines do nothing but scare parents

‘Potentially toxic’ nanoparticles in baby formula – why the sensationalist headlines do nothing but scare parents - Nano Girl

Michelle Dickinson • Jul 02, 2017 •

Wow, now this is a new headline that would scare the bejeebers out of you if you were currently using baby formula: The Sydney Morninig Herald goes on to say: A world-leading team in nanotechnology at Arizona State University tested seven off-the-shelf baby formula products and found two – Nestle’s NAN HA 1 Gold and Nature’s Way Kids … Read More

Featured image: An open letter on fluoride, science and kindness

An open letter on fluoride, science and kindness - Nano Girl

Michelle Dickinson • Apr 17, 2017 •

Dear Lorraine, I see that last week you decided to send this message to Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter: After reading your e-mail I decided to create a flowchart for you to follow for the next time that you decide to interact with another human being.  This should especially be used when communicating with people that you … Read More

Featured image: What does art have to do with public health, and how can they work together?

What does art have to do with public health, and how can they work together? - Public Health Expert

Public Health Expert • Apr 12, 2017 •

Jenny Ombler, Dr Sarah Donovan (University of Otago, Wellington) Last month was the first time that the Public Health Summer School (University of Otago, Wellington) has considered art, and its relationship to public health. The Symposium featured artists, arts academics, an architect, and public health practitioners and academics. In this blog we consider some of the issues raised … Read More

Featured image: Why detox diets don’t work – the science behind how your body removes toxins

Why detox diets don’t work – the science behind how your body removes toxins - Nano Girl

Michelle Dickinson • Mar 17, 2017 •

The health store shelves are filled with optimistic claims of weight loss products. It’s tempting after what may have been weeks of “I’ll start the diet tomorrow” to think about cleansing out your system to kick start your new body. Quick fix detox teas, juices and supplements are heavily marketed, enticing you to drink a magical natural potion which will rid … Read More