Obesity research

A big problem for us and our health system

Approximately one-third of children and two-thirds of adults in New Zealand are overweight or obese.

Being too heavy increases the chances of poor health now – like obese children being bullied more or increased joint problems in adults.

However, of more concern, is the future impact on New Zealand's health system. We are expecting a huge increase in the number of people with diabetes and cardiovascular complications because of excess weight.

Making sustainable and effective healthy changes

A major focus of our research is how best to assist individuals, families, schools and communities to make sustainable and effective healthy changes.

Our interventions are testing:

• How a lifestyle intervention can improve the nutritional status and body composition of people living with IBD
  The IBDlife Study

• How the use of electronic media before and in-bed affects sleep in children
  The BED Study

• A tailored sleep toolkit to improve wellbeing in tamariki and their whānau.
  Moemoeā - sleep, health, communication, and wellbeing

• What our babies are eating and which are the best methods for introducing foods to infants
  The First Foods NZ study

• How pre-bed time screen use, physical activity and food intake impact sleep in adolescents
  SNAP IT: Sleep, screen use, nutrition and activity using photo images in teens

• How sleep affects what children eat and how active they are
  DREAM: Diet, Rest, Eating and Activity Monitoring

• How best to inform parents of young children that their child is overweight
  MInT: Motivational Interviewing in treatment

• Whether providing extra guidance and support to new families can reduce the rate of excessive weight gain in infants
  POI: Prevention of overweight in infancy

• How to encourage play within schools that promotes risk and challenge in a safe and appropriate manner
  Play study
  Free play at school Professor Rachael Taylor interviewed on Radio New Zealand National

• Whether an alternative approach to introducing solids can improve the ability of young children to regulate their energy intake
  BLISS: Baby-led introduction to solids

• Whether fruit and sweetened beverages have the same effect on metabolism
  Does fructose from fruit have the same effect on gout and cardiovascular risks as sugary drinks?

• The use of different support strategies for encouraging behavioural change
  SWIFT: Support strategies for whole-food diets, intermittent fasting and training