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Contact Details

Phone
+64 21 678 925
Email
jim.mann@otago.ac.nz
Position
Professor in Medicine and Human Nutrition, Edgar Chair in Diabetes Medicine
Department
Department of Medicine (Dunedin)
Qualifications
MA DM PhD FRACP FFPHM
Research summary
Aetiology, prevention and management of cardiometabolic disease
Teaching

Medical students

Memberships

Jim Mann has been involved with numerous international and national organisations and committees concerned with nutrition, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, several of which he has chaired or continues to chair.

These include the Nutrition Guidance Advisory Group (NUGAG) and the Expert Advisory Panel on Nutrition of WHO, the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, World Cancer Research Fund Advisory Panel on Diet and Physical Activity and multiple health related advisory groups to the New Zealand and UK governments.

Clinical

Endocrinologist, Dunedin Public Hospital, 1988–2022. Continuing involvement in advisory roles. Currently co-chair of group developing National Diabetes Action Plan for Aotearoa New Zealand

Research

Jim Mann has been Professor in Medicine and Human Nutrition at the University of Otago since 1988 and established the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research (now the Edgar Centre for Diabetes and Obesity Research) in 2003, acting as Director until 2016, now co-director.

He is also Director of the New Zealand-China Non-Communicable Disease Research Collaboration Centre and until 2024 was Director of the Healthier Lives National Science Challenge. He established the World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Human Nutrition at the University in 2004 and was Director until 2018.

His over 500 publications and 10 books relate principally to clinical and public health aspects of non communicable diseases especially diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Research undertaken by him and his colleagues and students has largely focused on the role of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of disease, notably the protective and beneficial effects of dietary fibre and potentially deleterious effects of sugars which have influenced WHO dietary guidelines and international recommendations for the prevention and management of diabetes.

The contributions made by Jim and his colleagues have been recognised in the form of several honours and awards including his appointment as Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to health, Fellowship and Sir Charles Hercus Medal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, the University of Otago Distinguished Research Medal, Distinguished Researcher Award from the University of Otago School of Medicine, the Himsworth Award of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, the RD Lawrence Award of Diabetes UK, Honorary Life Membership of the New Zealand Association for the Study of Diabetes and the Dietetic Associations of Britain, New Zealand and the Nordic Countries. He is Patron of Diabetes New Zealand and a Director of the New Zealand Heart Foundation.

Publications

Goodwin, D. W. T., Boulton, A., Stayner, C., & Mann, J. (2025). Authentic co-design: An essential prerequisite to health equity in Aotearoa New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2025.2480207 Journal - Research Article

Campbell, K., Ashton, N., Peddie, M. C., Ma'ia'i, K., Camp, J., Mann, J., & Reynolds, A. N. (2025). A DiRECT approach to weight loss in a culturally diverse, low-income population: Pilot randomised controlled trial and meta-analysis of similar interventions. Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/dom.16240 Journal - Research Article

Shahin, A., Ross, A., Mann, J., & Reynolds, A. (2024). Exploring the potential of objective metabolite measures in dietary assessment. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice & Research / Revue canadienne de la pratique et de la recherche en diététique, 85(3), (pp. 354). doi: 10.3148/cjdpr-2024-020 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Reynolds, A. N., Lang, J., Brand, A., & Mann, J. (2024). Higher fiber higher carbohydrate diets better than lower carbohydrate lower fiber diets for diabetes management: Rapid review with meta-analyses. Obesity Reviews, e13837. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/obr.13837 Journal - Research Article

Reynolds, A., Cummings, J., & Mann, J. (2024). Association of glycaemic index and glycaemic load with type 2 diabetes in the PURE study. Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 12, 518-519. doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(24)00189-X Journal - Research Other

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