Healthier Lives Newsletter February 2022

In this issue:

• ACTIVATION: The Getting Around survey
• Research voices: Elizabeth Okiakama
• Research Findings Brief:  Pasifika Prediabetes Youth Empowerment Programme
• Prof Jim Mann knighted for services to health
• Prof Vicky Cameron’s career in reflection
• Pathways between research, policy and practice
• A farewell and a welcome

ACTIVATION: The Getting Around survey

A recent survey of residents living in a new social housing development in Christchurch has shown that seven out of ten residents missed medical appointments, grocery shopping or time with friends and family due to transport difficulties.

The survey was conducted as part of the ACTIVATION project – co-funded by Healthier Lives and Ageing Well – which is investigating ways of retro-fitting the design of our cities to encourage more active modes of travel.

Inspired by the Drawing Science workshop, presented by Toby Morris and Siouxsie Wiles, researchers have taken a creative approach to sharing their survey results.

Read more

Research voices: Elizabeth Okiakama

Elizabeth Okiakama (South Waikato Pacific Islands Community Services) is a community-based researcher who worked on the Pasifika Prediabetes Youth Empowerment Programme study in Tokoroa.

Hear about the unique qualities that Elizabeth brought to this programme, inspiring Pacific youth to co-design, deliver and evaluate a health intervention to prevent prediabetes in their community.

Read more

Research findings brief: Pasifika Prediabetes Youth Empowerment Programme

A new research findings brief about the Pasifika Prediabetes Youth Empowerment Programme (PPYEP), mentioned above, is now available.

The PPYEP study was funded by the Ministry of Health, the Health Research Council of New Zealand, and Healthier Lives, as part of a three-way partnership established in 2016 to invest in research aimed at improving long-term health conditions.

Read more

Professor Jim Mann knighted for services to health

Healthier Lives Director Professor Jim Mann has been made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to health.

While grateful for this personal honour, Professor Mann views the award as collective acknowledgement of the many excellent colleagues he has worked with over the years, both in New Zealand and internationally, to advance research and advocacy for the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases. 

Read more

Professor Vicky Cameron‘s career in reflection

As she prepares to retire Professor Vicky Cameron reflects on her research career at the University of Otago.

Vicky was a founding member of Healthier Lives and led the cardiovascular research programme in our first phase. We’re immensely grateful for her contribution and wish her well in retirement.

Professor Vicky Cameron – Chasing Genes and Climbing Mountains University of Otago

Pathways between research, policy and practice

Last November, Healthier Lives hosted a webinar and online workshop exploring the complex pathways for translating evidence into policy and practice in Aotearoa New Zealand.

We’re writing a report about the ideas which emerged from these events, which we hope will spark further conversations about how to embed evidence at the centre of decision-making in the health system.

View presentations

A farewell and a welcome

Last month, Healthier Lives said farewell to our Knowledge Exchange Manager, Fleur Templeton, who has moved on to take up a new challenge.  Fleur was an integral part of our team for five years and we’re grateful for her contribution.

In August, Dr Cherie Stayner joined our team as Science Communicator.  Cherie is a practising scientist with a keen interest in communicating the complexities of science to lay audiences. 

We welcome Cherie on board to help translate Healthier Lives research for policy makers, practitioners and all those interested in knowing more about it. 

In this edition of the newsletter, you can read Cherie’s interview with Elizabeth Okiakama as well as the latest research findings brief which she produced. 

In the news 

Intermittent fasting as an approach to weight loss

Director Jim Mann comments on the benefits and pitfalls of intermittent fasting for weight loss in this piece by Niki Bezzant.

“the long-term evidence is that no [diet] approach is better than any other approach.”

Is intermittent fasting safe or silly? Stuff.co.nz

Congratulations to…

Professor Cristin (Cris) Print (University of Auckland), Healthier Lives principal investigator, who was awarded the New Zealand Society of Oncology Translational Research Award. This prestigious award is presented annually to “an eminent New Zealand investigator who has made outstanding contributions to translational cancer research”.

Professor Cristin Print wins prestigious cancer research award University of Auckland

Dr Sandra Fitzgerald (University of Auckland) who was awarded Best Poster – Biomedical at last month’s New Zealand Society of Oncology conference. You can read about her PhD journey with Healthier Lives here:

Research voices: Dr Sandra Fitzgerald