Other Activities
The ENCDOR and its staff members contribute to a range of activities in addition to research.
Symposia:
2011
To follow-on from the 2010 symposium and in order to maintain the momentum gained, the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes and Obesity Research hosted another symposium in Dunedin on 25 March 2011. Professor Stephan Rössner from the Karolinska Institute, Sweden gave the keynote talk and Members of Parliament in New Zealand spoke to the day's title 'Who is responsible for New Zealand's waistline?'. View the seminar webpage and programme here.
2010
The Edgar National Centre for Diabetes and Obesity Research, in conjunction with the Centre for Translational Research in Chronic Diseases and the Prior Policy Centre, hosted a symposium in Wellington on Monday, 18 October 2010. The purpose of this seminar was to examine the evidence base for public health measures which will reduce the risk of obesity and its comorbidities, thereby encouraging a range of sectors to act on this growing problem. The approach was based on the concept that a range of “Actor Groups” has responsibility for making policy and taking decisions which have an effect on public health. Researchers presented the case for evidence based action and representatives of the Actor Groups (government, civil society organisations, media, industry, workplace/institutions, schools and families) responded regarding what has been done and could be done in New Zealand. View the seminar webpage and programme here.
2008
The 2008 ENCDR symposium was held on the 8th October at the University of Otago, and debated national prevention and treatment strategies with presentations of relevant research being undertaken in the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research and elsewhere in New Zealand. The conference flyer and programme outline are available here.
National Organisations:
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New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes,
http://www.nzssd.orgThe ENCDOR is involved with the running of the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes (NZSSD). Professor Jim Mann and Dr Kirsten Coppell are previous members of the executive committee and Professor Mann was Chairman. The ENCDOR acts as the secretariat for the NZSSD; interfacing between the Executive and the NZSSD membership as well as individuals with general interest in contacting NZSSD for more information.
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Health Select Committee Inquiry into Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
Prof Mann was an expert advisor to the health select committee, and staff of the ENCDOR gave oral presentations on obesity and type 2 diabetes in New Zealand.
The Health Select Committee Report can be downloaded here. -
Centre for Translational Research into Chronic Diseases, http://www.otago.ac.nz/ctrcd
The ENCDOR forms part of the Centre for Translational Research into Chronic Diseases (CTRCD). Prof Mann is the director of this centre, which spans different universities, institutions and organisations. The CTRCD was responsible for the evalutation of the Healthy Eating, Healthy Action programme.
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National Heart Foundation, http://www.nhf.org.nz
Prof Mann chairs the Scientific Committee of the National Heart Foundation, and helped establish the foundation's 'Pick the Tick' programme. He also acts as an advisor to several of their community and patient related groups and has been guest speaker at several local functions of the NHF.
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Expert Advisory Group on Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease: Quality Improvement Plan
Prof Mann chairs this group, which reports to the Minister of Health on Group on issues or potential improvements in the health care of people living with cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
A media release on the Quality Improvement Plan can be found here. -
Diabetes New Zealand, http://www.diabetes.org.nz
Jim Mann acts as an Advisor to Diabetes New Zealand (DNZ) nationally, has assisted with the production of a successful DNZ Cookbook, has spoken to members of Parliament on behalf of DNZ and been an invited speaker at the national DNZ conference. He is also Patron of Diabetes Otago.
International Organisations:
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World Cancer Research Fund, http://www.wcrf.org
Prof Mann works extensively with the fund, which has recently published its second expert report into the association of nutrition and lifestyle factors with cancer.
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World Health Organisation, http://www.who.int/en/
Prof Mann has a long history with the WHO, and is currently Chair of the WHO/FAO Scientific Update in Carbohydrates and member of the Advisory Group on the implementation of the WHO Global Strategy for the Prevention of Chronic Diseases.
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International Union of Nutritonal Sciences, http://www.iuns.org/
Prof Mann chairs the Taskforce on Evidence-based Nutrition of the IUNS.
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European Association for the Study of Diabetes,
http://www.easd.org/Prof Mann chairs the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. This group reports to the EASD on various matters of nutrition of importance to diabetes, such as producing evidence-based guidelines for the dietary management and treatment or type 2 diabetes.
Prof Jim Mann, Director, ENCDOR
Peer reviewing:
ENCDOR staff act as regular reviewers for international medical and scientific journals including The Lancet, Diabetologia, Diabetes Care, The American and European Journals of Clinical Nutrition. Professor Jim Mann is on the Editorial Board of several international journals. Staff also regularly review applications for research grants to the Health Research Council of New Zealand, the National Heart Foundation of New Zealand, Diabetes UK and the National Institutes of Health (USA) and occasionally for other international grant awarding bodies.
Teaching:
Teaching within and external to the university is also undertaken by staff of the ENCDOR. Teaching groups include both undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as nurses and general practitioners.
Communication:
The work of the Centre has been well reported in the National media (press, radio and television) and articles have been written for a lay readership. Members of the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes and Obesity Research have also given frequent interviews on international and national radio and television. There has been considerable involvement with community organisations at the National and local levels. An archive of media coverage can be found here.
