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Symposium examines 'diabesity'

Tuesday, 2 May 2017

Healthier Lives National Science Challenge, collaborated with A Better Start National Science Challenge, and Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research (EDOR), to bring together expertise to present a day of distinguished speakers from New Zealand, Australia, and the UK, to focus on the 'diabesity' crisis.

New Zealand is facing a rising tide of ‘diabesity’. Our rates of diabetes and obesity are amongst the highest in the world. The problem is starting in early life and leading to increased levels of disability in mid- and later-life. There is a significant and growing cost in both human and economic terms and we urgently need solutions for individuals and communities.

Many interventions have been tried but not all have proved successful. Our symposium focused on evidence about what will make a real difference, across a spectrum covering public health measures, social inequalities, better understanding of genetic predisposition, lifestyle changes, and surgical options.

Diabesity symposium videos

Videos of our distinguished speakers' presentations are now available on youtube:

Diabesity symposium videos (youtube.com website)

Video presentations include:

  • Preventing obesity in early childhood Professor Louise Baur, University of Sydney
  • Is sleep the answer to childhood obesity? Professor Rachael Taylor, University of Otago
  • Bottoms up: The gut microbiome and childhood obesity Professor Wayne Cutfield, University of Auckland
  • Sitting less, HIITing more and everything in between David Lubans, University of Newcastle
  • Kids' cam: The obesogenic world of children in pictures Associate professor Louise Signal, University of Otago
  • mHealth for diabetes and obesity prevention Dr Lisa Te Morenga, University of Otago
  • Best practice policy approaches to obesity prevention Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu, University of Auckland
  • T2DM inequalities in Indigenous Peoples Professor Alex Brown, University of South Australia
  • The role of genetics in diabetes and obesity Professor Tony Merriman, University of Otago
  • Enhancing biological resilience to obesity and diabetes Associate Professor Rinki Murphy, University of Auckland
  • Primary care and the diabetes epidemic Dr Kirsten Coppell, University of Otago
  • Targeting the gut to treat obesity and Type 2 diabetes Professor Rachel Batterham, University College London
  • Māori voices in the journey towards bariatric surgery Ms Callie Corrigan, Toi Tangata

More about the Diabesity symposium speakers (EDOR website)

Diabesity Symposium Programme 2017  (PDF 3MB)

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