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Senior Lecturer
BSc (Netherlands), MSc (Clinical), PhD (Otago)
Tel +64 3 479 8387
Email lara.vlietstra@otago.ac.nz
Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7397-1308
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lara-Vlietstra
Deputy Director of CARE (Collaboration of Ageing Research Excellence, a University of Otago Research theme)

Background

Lara Vlietstra joined the School in 2022 as a lecturer. After successfully graduating as a physiotherapist (2014, Avans, the Netherlands), she obtained two master's degrees (2017, Clinical Health Sciences, Utrecht University/University Medical Centre Utrecht, and Geriatric Physiotherapy, Avans+) before coming to Otago to complete her PhD in pre-sarcopenia (2021, Department of Medicine & School of Physiotherapy).

Besides her ongoing research projects and her teaching, she is currently the Deputy Director for CARE, a National Executive member of the New Zealand Association of Gerontology (NZAG), Council member for the Australian and New Zealand Society for Sarcopenia and Frailty Research (ANZSSFR) and an Associate Editor for the Australasian Journal on Ageing.

Teaching

Research

Since being awarded a PhD for her thesis on pre-sarcopenia in middle-aged adults, Lara's research has focused on healthy ageing and the prevention of age-related diseases, with a particular focus on physical activity and sarcopenia.

She is currently the co-primary investigator of the GAMES Study. The Games Athletes Medical Evaluation and Status (GAMES) Study is a study that is researching New Zealand Olympians, Paralympians, and Commonwealth Games athletes as they age. Additional research interests include falls and frailty in older adults.

Lara has active research collaborations in Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada, and the United States.

Postgraduate Students

Lara is currently welcoming Honour's and Master's students beginning 2023.

Publications

Vlietstra, L., Fordyce, A., Costa, E. C., Coffey, S., Walker, X. J., Whalley, G. A., & Waters, D. L. (2025). Exercise interventions to improve physical frailty and physical frailty components in older adults with hypertension: A systematic review. Ageing Research Reviews, 107, 102714. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2025.102714 Journal - Research Other

Finkler, W., Vlietstra, L., Waters, D. L., Zhu, L., Gallagher, S., Walker, R., Forlong, R., & van Heezik, Y. (2025). Virtual nature and well-being: Exploring the potential of 360° VR. Applied Psychology: Health & Well-Being, 17, e70008. doi: 10.1111/aphw.70008 Journal - Research Article

Vlietstra, L., Pōtiki Bryant, K., Hale, L., Dando, M., & Waters, D. L. (2025). Physical activity to prevent older adult falls: An Aotearoa New Zealand approach [Atividade física para prevenir quedas em idosos: Uma abordagem da Aotearoa Nova Zelândia]. Revista Brasileira de Atividade Física & Saúde, 29, e0366. doi: 10.12820/rbafs.29e0366 Journal - Research Other

Peddie, M., Gale, J. T., Harland, M., Grenfell, S., Walker, X. J., Gerrard, D., Russell-Camp, T., Waters, D. L., & Vlietstra, L. (2024). Micronutrient intakes of former New Zealand representative athletes over the age of 60 years. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society of New Zealand (NSNZ) 58th Annual Conference: Kotahitanga. (pp. 47). Retrieved from https://www.nsnzconference.co.nz/ Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Vlietstra, L., Meredith-Jones, K., de Lange, M., Guiney, H., & Waters, D. L. (2024). Identifying risk factors for pre-sarcopenia in early middle-age. Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2024.08.005 Journal - Research Article

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