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Contact Details

Email
lisa.daniels@otago.ac.nz

University Links

Position
Senior Research Fellow
Department
Department of Medicine (Dunedin)
Qualifications
PhD NZRD OLY
Research summary
Maternal and child health research in complementary feeding, breastfeeding and breast milk
Memberships
  • New Zealand Registered Dietitian
  • Paediatric Society of New Zealand
  • The World Olympians Association
  • Dunedin Breastfeeding Network

Research

Dr Lisa Daniels is a Senior Research Fellow and New Zealand Registered Dietitian (NZRD).

Lisa's research experience is in nutrition and public health with a specific interest in paediatrics. Her PhD was in infant nutrition and focused on assessing the impact of modified Baby-Led Weaning on iron and zinc in infants and toddlers. She is currently conducting research investigating breast milk intakes in New Zealand infants, alongside work in assessing the physical growth of tamariki using Whānau Āwhina Plunket data.

Her non-research career highlights include representing New Zealand in Synchronised Swimming at the Commonwealth Games (2006) and Olympics (2008) and co-authoring a cookbook with Nadia Lim (titled: YUM).

Current research Lisa leads or co-leads

  • Breast milk intakes: using the 'dose-to-mother stable isotope (deuterium oxide)' technique to assess breast milk intakes of New Zealand infants
  • Breast milk composition: determining nutrient composition of breast milk at 7-10 months postpartum
  • Plunket 'big data': using Plunket's electronic records to investigate areas of child health (growth, breastfeeding practices, safe sleep environments)
  • Healthy weight in Māori preschoolers: investigating anthropometrics and structural factors in Māori preschool children, using Ministry of Health 'B4 School Check' data

Current research Lisa supports

  • Rapid weight gain in infancy - evidence to support best practice care
  • Understanding parental knowledge of offering common food allergens to infants during the complementary feeding period
  • The relationship between baby-led weaning and baby food pouch use on nutrient intakes and iron status in New Zealand infants
  • Freeze dried donor human milk for improving premature infant outcomes

Publications

Cox, A. M., Taylor, R. W., Haszard, J. J., Beck, K. L., von Hurst, P. R., Conlon, C. A., Te Morenga, L. A., Daniels, L., McArthur, J., Paul, R., McLean, N. H., Jones, E. A., Katiforis, I., Brown, K. J., Gash, M., Rowan, M., Fleming, E. A., Jupiterwala, R., Bruckner, B. R., & Heath, A.-L. M. (2024). Baby food pouches and Baby-Led Weaning: Associations with energy intake, eating behaviour and infant weight status. Appetite, 192, 107121. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.107121 Journal - Research Article

Brown, K. J., Beck, K. L., von Hurst, P., Heath, A.-L., Taylor, R., Haszard, J., Daniels, L., … Katiforis, I., Rowan, M., McLean, N., Cox, A., Fleming, E., … Conlon, C. (2023). Adherence to infant feeding guidelines in the First Foods New Zealand study. Nutrients, 15, 4650. doi: 10.3390/nu15214650 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Brown, K., Beck, K., von Hurst, P., Heath, A.-L., Taylor, R., Haszard, J., Daniels, L., Te Morenga, L., & Conlon, C. (2023). Adherence to breastfeeding and complementary feeding guidelines within the First Foods New Zealand study. Medical Sciences Forum, 18(1), 16. doi: 10.3390/msf2023018016 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Daniels, L., Haszard, J. J., Taylor, R. W., & Taylor, B. J. (2023). Prevalence of low and high BMI during the first 3 years of life: Using New Zealand national electronic health data. Pediatric Obesity, 18(5), e13013. doi: 10.1111/ijpo.13013 Journal - Research Article

Daniels, L., Haszard, J. J., Gibson, R. S., Taylor, R. W., Fleming, E. A., Miller, J. C., Thomson, C. D., & Heath, A.-L. M. (2023). Selenium intakes and plasma selenium of New Zealand toddlers: Secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Nutrition, 129, 1193-1201. doi: 10.1017/s0007114522002379 Journal - Research Article

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