The negative social, educational and health consequences of obesity for children have been well documented, with downstream impacts on chronic disease for adults. A diet high in energy-dense nutrient-poor foods, and low in nutritious foods, is an important contributor to obesity. Such diets tend to have negative health and educational outcomes for children. Childhood nutrition...

Background: Evidence linking fructose intakes to gout, type 2 diabetes and obesity is growing. This is of particular interest in Pacific people who have higher rates of these diseases compared to other ethnic groups in New Zealand.

Background: Prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity has risen dramatically over the last few decades, suggesting a causative role for environmental factors, including activity, diet and eating behaviours.Objectives: To determine the prevalence, change in prevalence and degree of tracking of overweight and obesity in a birth cohort of Dunedin children from age three to seven...

Background: Supporting the increasing number of patients with chronic disease, particularly Māori, Pacific peoples and those from deprived neighbourhoods, is a growing burden for New Zealand primary health care. Food and nutrition play an integral role in the prevention and management of many chronic diseases. Dietitians, with their expertise in nutrition and specific skills in...

Background: Iodine requirements increase in pregnancy as both the mother and foetus need iodine for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. In response to a re-emergence of iodine deficiency in New Zealand in the 1990s, bread was fortified with iodised salt in 2009 and a recommendation for a daily supplement of 150 µg iodine in pregnancy...