In February, Director Jim Mann and several researchers spoke to an audience of 150 health service funders, planners and clinical leads at the Long-Term Conditions Forum for DHBs, PHOs and community-based health providers. This was a fantastic opportunity to present research evidence to an audience interested in new ways of delivering care to people living with […]
Healthier Lives
New research on National Healthy Food and Drink Policy
A study funded by Healthier Lives will investigate and evaluate what food and drink options are available in New Zealand’s District Health Boards (DHBs) and how well the National Healthy Food and Drink Policy (the Policy) is working. The Policy supports and encourages providing healthier food and drink options in NZ DHBs and public sector […]
New research on circulating tumour DNA for better cancer management in New Zealand
Healthier Lives has funded new research to broaden, expand and implement technology for monitoring cancer treatment. The new project within the Precision medicine and personalised prevention theme builds on research undertaken in Phase 1 of the Challenge, which achieved exciting results for monitoring melanoma and colorectal cancer using circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) technology. This emerging technology, sometimes termed […]
Workshop: Health Systems Modelling
Designing and managing effective and efficient healthcare systems This 1-day workshop on Health Systems Modelling with Professor Margaret Brandeau (Stanford University), supported by Healthier Lives and hosted by the University of Auckland, looked at how analytic and computational tools – and, more generally, an analytic way of thinking – can be used to support the […]
Symposium: Healthier Lives Kōrero Tahi 2019
In November, Healthier Lives held an internal meeting over two days in Dunedin for our research teams, community partners, key stakeholders, and members of the Governance Group and Kāhui Māori. Its theme was ‘Towards Health Equity’. Co-design workshop Crystal Pekepo from Toi Tangata led a workshop on co-design, which got the whole event off to […]
OL@-OR@: results, awards and next steps
Research findings Results from one of Healthier Lives’ phase one projects, OL@-OR@, a Māori and Pasifika mHealth approach to supporting healthy lifestyles, were published last month in The Lancet Digital Health. The research team* developed and evaluated an app to support healthy lifestyles (known as OL@-OR@), with distinct culturally-tailored versions for Māori and Pasifika. The […]
Symposium: From Evidence to Everyday
Translating nutrition research for a healthy Aotearoa Hosted by the Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research Centre with support from Healthier Lives, this symposium explored how nutrition research is interpreted by health professionals, the media, policymakers, the community, and ultimately makes its way into our everyday food choices. As part of the symposium, we hosted a panel […]
$2 million to tackle heart health inequities
The Heart Foundation and the Healthier Lives National Science Challenge have joined forces to tackle inequities in health outcomes from cardiovascular disease (CVD) among Māori and Pacific people. A $2 million research grant has been awarded to a team led by Dr Corina Grey and Associate Professor Matire Harwood (pictured above). The three-year study is […]
Social connection: a key to health and wellbeing
Social isolation is an issue that’s starting to get more attention in the context of health and wellbeing. It’s known, for example, that when people are socially isolated they are more at risk for depression, and it can cause some chronic pain conditions to become worse. Older people who are isolated are more likely to […]
WellConnectedNZ – the weaving together of the people
Social isolation is an issue that’s starting to get more attention in the context of health and wellbeing. It’s known, for example, that when people are socially isolated they are more at risk for depression, and it can cause some chronic pain conditions to become worse. The impact of loneliness on one’s health has been […]
Healthier Lives researchers shine in recent HRC round
Healthier Lives congratulates researchers involved with our Challenge whose work has been recognised in the Health Research Council’s 2019 funding round with substantial investments. This recognition speaks to the research excellence, integrity and standing of our research colleagues. A number of these new studies are directly aligned to our mission to achieve equitable health outcomes […]
Scoping and prioritisation workshop: Culturally centred health interventions for Māori-led research
Shaping future research for culturally-centred health interventions for Māori Māori health providers, community leaders and researchers from around the country gathered at a hui to scope and prioritise research topics for culturally-centred health interventions for Māori. The hui was hosted by Toi Tangata in Auckland. The aim of the hui was to inform funding decisions […]
Scoping and prioritisation workshop: Healthy Food and Physical Activity Environments
Researchers and policy makers from around New Zealand gathered at a Healthier Lives workshop in Wellington on 22 March 2019 to scope and prioritise research aimed at improving New Zealand’s food and physical activity environments for the benefit of our whole population. The 35 workshop attendees included representatives from the Ministries of Health and Primary […]
Joint Heart Foundation–Healthier Lives Programme Grant
In Phase 1 of National Science Challenges (2015-2019), Healthier Lives undertook research to develop more equitable cardiovascular disease risk prediction tools for the New Zealand population. In Phase 2 (2019-2024) we will undertake research aimed at achieving more equitable health outcomes for those at highest risk of cardiovascular disease. We are therefore pleased to announce […]
Surprise te reo Māori finding in prediabetes research
New research from the Healthier Lives National Science Challenge has found people who speak te reo Māori have a reduced risk of progressing from prediabetes to diabetes. The groundbreaking research, which has been published in the Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice journal, observed more than 14,000 participants with prediabetes. The study, led by researchers at […]
Symposium: Focus on Fibre and Food Monitoring
What are NZers eating and how does it affect our health? In 1826 Frenchman Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote: “Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es.” [Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are]1, thought to be the origin of the saying ‘you are what you eat.’ […]
Call for updated national survey to see what New Zealanders are eating
As dietary factors and obesity have taken over as the key cause of the global burden of disease, Healthier Lives Director Professor Jim Mann and other nutrition experts say there’s a desperate need for a national nutrition survey to see what New Zealanders are eating, with the most recent survey a decade old. Professor of […]
Eating more fibre and whole grains contributes to lower rates of non-communicable diseases and reduced mortality
A recent study, co-funded by the Healthier Lives National Science Challenge*, concludes that people who eat higher levels of dietary fibre and whole grains have lower rates of non-communicable diseases compared with those who eat less. The study, published today in the prestigious international medical journal The Lancet, was co-authored by Professor Jim Mann, director […]
Expressions of interest for research scoping and prioritisation workshop
Are you interested in making a meaningful difference to the health of New Zealanders and helping to set the national research agenda? Healthier Lives is seeking expressions of interest to join a focussed workshop designed to scope and prioritise the most important research topics and questions for one of our new research themes: healthy food […]
Meeting the challenge of reducing health inequities and improving health outcomes in New Zealand
The Healthier Lives – He Oranga Hauora National Science Challenge welcomes the announcement from the Minister of Research, Science and Innovation Hon Megan Woods, which confirms $17.6 million funding for our 2019-2024 research strategy. Director Professor Jim Mann says the new Healthier Lives five-year strategy puts equitable health outcomes at its very heart. “We have […]
Symposium: He ora te whakapiri – Unleashing the potential of New Zealand life course research
Science Challenges collaborate to host symposium on life course research in NZ: He Ora Te Whakapiri More than 200 people attended He Ora te Whakapiri, a symposium held at Te Papa in October to consider the future of life course research in New Zealand. Co-hosted by the three health and wellbeing National Science Challenges (A […]
Empowering youth for a healthier Pasifika generation
“If you love yourself and you love the people around you, especially our Pasifika community, then you know what to do; you need to make a change. And this programme is definitely the way to do it.” Those are the words of Karl Moresi, a participant in the pilot for the Pasifika Prediabetes Youth Empowerment […]
Pasifika youth leading the way
Pasifika populations have higher rates of obesity and prediabetes than other groups, and about 13.5% of young Pasifika people are affected by prediabetes, compared to 7% for New Zealand Europeans. “If you love yourself and you love the people around you, especially our Pasifika community, then you know what to do; you need to make […]
He Ora Te Whakapiri – Life course research symposium
He ora te whakapiri: Unleashing the potential of New Zealand life course research18 October 2018Wellington Human development is shaped by the physical and human environment at all stages of life, so life course research is vital for improving health and wellbeing outcomes. What is the future of life course research in New Zealand? How can […]