Healthier Lives

A new report launched in Parliament shows that Aotearoa New Zealand has reached epidemic proportions of type 2 diabetes and is on a steep trajectory for the next 20 years. However, the report shows that this steep curve could be flattened or even squashed with the right interventions. The Economic and Social Cost Of Type […]

The lifelong impact of chronic diseases on New Zealand families is at the centre of a new research programme funded by the three health and wellbeing National Science Challenges – A Better Start, Healthier Lives and Ageing Well. The Lifecourse impact of chronic health conditions: a family and whānau perspective project, led by Dr Barry […]

Despite levels of diabetes and obesity reaching epidemic proportions in New Zealand, there is no national plan to manage and prevent these diseases. Dietary change has been proven to reduce the risk of developing diabetes at the population level, and nutrition therapy has been used to successfully treat those with prediabetes and diabetes. Director Professor […]

In this issue: Director’s message Racism in health Funding announcement: Pacific diabetes prevention Research findings: Evaluation of a digital health programme Director’s message As a country we are reaping the rewards of our collective effort to keep Covid-19 out of our communities.  We need to harness a similar determination to acknowledge and overcome systemic racism. […]

As a country we are reaping the rewards of our collective effort to keep Covid-19 out of our communities.  We need to harness a similar determination to acknowledge and overcome systemic racism. Racism in health has implications for everyone living in Aotearoa New Zealand. This issue has been raised in the media over the last […]

Research undertaken through the Long-Term Conditions Partnership* recently published findings that are important for health planners and funders. Increasing burden of non-communicable diseases Demands on New Zealand’s primary healthcare system are rapidly increasing.  Workforce shortages and rising rates of non-communicable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, mean the usual standard of face-to-face medical care is […]

Research to address Type 2 diabetes in Pacific communities has been awarded nearly $550,000 by the Healthier Lives – He Oranga Hauora National Science Challenge. Led by Dr Ridvan (Riz) Firestone, Massey University, the research team will include community researchers and work with Pacific communities to co-design a unique family-centred diabetes prevention programme. Dr Firestone […]

Jordon Lima (Ngāti Porou) is joining the Healthier Lives circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) project team to investigate the equitable application of ctDNA to the New Zealand population. She has been awarded a three year Health Research Council (HRC) Māori Health Scholarship that will fund her PhD research at the University of Otago, co-supervised by Professor […]

This year the global Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted just how essential it is for policy makers, researchers, politicians and others to have robust health data and research evidence for making vital decisions. Many research studies, particularly in health, rely on big data sets. Statistics NZ hosts a research database called the Integrated Data Infrastructure (or […]

A new comprehensive global study suggests there are concerning height and Body Mass Index (BMI) trends among school-aged children and adolescents. The authors are calling for global health and nutrition programmes to be extended to school-aged children and adolescents to enable healthy growth throughout development. Just published in The Lancet, the large global study was […]

Photo by:  Takiwai Russell-Camp Justine Camp (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Mamoe, and Waitaha) recently completed a PhD developing a Māori health model for whānau across the lifespan and across generations, the first health model created by Kāi Tahu. For her PhD, with Brain Research New Zealand, and supervised by University of Otago’s Associate Professor Anne Marie […]

A recent publication from Fudan University in China, is one of several international studies which are demonstrating the power of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) technology for the early detection of cancer. CtDNA is an emerging technology which uses simple blood tests to identify and measure cancer markers in the bloodstream. The technology offers the potential […]

Food is critically important for our health but also has a major impact on the earth’s resources, the environment and on climate change. A research project funded by Healthier Lives will investigate what the optimal diet would be to meet New Zealand population nutrition needs, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, at minimal additional cost to […]

Lessons from Māori voices in the New Zealand Science Sector All 11 National Science Challenges (NSCs) and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga have teamed up to contribute to a future-focussed Guide to Vision Mātauranga for the science sector. The Guide was developed out of a hui led by the Rauika Māngai, an assembly of senior […]

Healthier Lives National Science Challenge welcomes the opportunity the Health and Disablity System Review presents for the New Zealand health system to “…evolve into a system which delivers health outcomes for all New Zealanders both equitably and efficiently.” We commend the Review’s focus on reversing deeply entrenched health inequities and structural racism within the health […]

Photo: Stuart Houghton As the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown or rāhui eases, New Zealanders are gradually returning to public spaces and workplaces. This provides an opportunity to think about different transport and travel options that could benefit people as well as the planet. It is timely that a major new research project has just been jointly […]

Two new studies have shown that eating more dietary fibre improves life expectancy, but food processing may remove the benefits of eating whole grains. Healthier Lives researcher Dr Andrew Reynolds (University of Otago) and Director Professor Jim Mann collaborated with others on the two studies, which have implications for the prevention and management of diabetes. […]

The largest ever global study of cholesterol levels has found that levels are declining sharply in high income, western nations including New Zealand, but rising in low- and middle-income nations – particularly in Asia and several Pacific Islands. The new study, by hundreds of researchers from across the world led by Professor Majid Ezzati of […]

As COVID-19 continues to dominate our lives it’s important not to overlook the impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on our population. NCDs are the leading cause of premature death and disability in New Zealand and those living with NCDs who contract COVID-19 are likely to have significantly worse outcomes. Healthier Lives Director Jim Mann and […]

Sir Jerry Mateparae (pictured above with his wife, Lady Janine Mateparae) has just been appointed to be the next Chair of the Healthier Lives−He Oranga Hauora National Science Challenge, officially taking over from the inaugural Chair, Dr Jenny McMahon, on 1 June 2020. “We are delighted that Sir Jerry Mateparae has taken up this appointment upon […]

Healthier Lives has awarded $1.3 million for new research that will use epigenetic studies to help predict risk of secondary health issues among people with heart disease and to understand the variation in responses to different therapies. Professor Greg Jones (University of Otago) will lead the highly experienced and collaborative team of researchers and clinicians […]