The Department of Human Nutrition at the University of Otago was the first University Nutrition programme to be established in New Zealand.
We have a long history of making significant contributions to the discipline of nutrition, both nationally and internationally and have strong links with Universities from Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe and, North America.
Our team also have strong interdisciplinary collaborations with other University Departments including the School of Physical Education, Sports and Exercise Science and the Departments of Food Science, Medicine, Anatomy, Women's and Children's Health and Preventive and Social Medicine.
Research Staff
Associate Professor Katherine Black
Elite sporting performance, Nutrition and Health.
Professor Rachel Brown
Nuts and health, energy and lipid metabolism, Sports Nutrition.
Dr Edmond Fehoko
Pacific and indigenous interventions the promote health and positive wellbeing. Qualitative and pacific research methods.
Professor Anne-Louise Heath
Iron Nutrition, infant nutrition and the use of food-based strategies to improve nutritional status and health
Dr Meredith Peddie
The impact of nutrition, sedentary behavior and physical activity on cardiometabolic risk.
Professor Nicole Roy
Nutrition and health, host-microbiome interactions, gastrointestinal physiology and gut-brain communication.
Prof Roy also leads the High-value nutrition science Challenge Priority Research Programme, Healthy Digestion: Improving Gastrointestinal function and comfort.
Professor Sheila Skeaff
Trace element status of the population with a particular focus on iodine and fluoride, environmental and food literacy, food waste.
Dr Claire Smith
Household food insecurity, food costs and dietary assessment.
Dr Smith is also responsible for running the Food Cost Survey.
Dr Sara Styles
Development and evaluation of behaviour change interventions to promote health.
Emeritus Professors
Emeritus Professor Rosalind Gibson
Assessment and Functional health outcomes of micronutrient deficiencies in at risk population groups in low-income countries.
Emeritus Professor Lisa Houghton
Assessment and health consequences of micronutrient deficiencies in “at risk” population groups.
Emeritus Professor Murray Skeaff
Emeritus Professor Christine Thomson
Selenium and iodine in human nutrition.
Postgraduate students
You can read more about our current PhD students and their research.