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BSc(Hons)(Salf) MSc PhD(Lough)

Katherine Black 2019 imageEmail katherine.black@otago.ac.nz

Katherine Black is an associate professor within the Department of Human Nutrition. She is responsible for the Sport and Exercise Nutrition papers and programmes within the Department. Her research interests are in the area of elite sporting performance, nutrition and health. She has worked with some leading athletes with New Zealand to investigate nutritional practices to optimise their performance. Recently, her research has focused on the health of female athletes, both high performance and recreational, to asses the impact of inappropriate energy intakes on reproductive and bone health.

Originally from Yorkshire, Katherine gained a BSc (Hons) in Exercise and Health Sciences at the University of Salford, an MSc in Sport and Exercise Nutrition at Loughborough University investigating blood brain barrier permeability, hydration and exercise in the heat followed by a PhD studying the fluid and electrolyte balance of special populations, focusing on paralympic athletes and kidney transplant recipients.

Paper coordination

Current postgraduate students

Master of Science

  • Sam Christensen. Markers of cardiovascular disease risk in elite rugby players with and without Low Energy Availability

Recent graduates

PhD

  • Pouya Saeedi. Associations between dietary patterns and fitness, and indices of arterial stiffness among primary school children aged 9 to 11 years.
  • Anna Howe. Dietary patterns and health in New Zealand adolescents.

Master of Science

  • Brittany Davison. The association between parent and child dietary patterns.
  • Rachel Scrivin. Meta-analysis on the effects of sodium supplementation and intake on hydration and athletic performance in physically active people.
  • Luke Scullion. Health And Bread Intervention Trials (HABIT)
  • Hannah Gentle. Pre-exercise protein ingestion on muscle damage and performance in high-intensity exercise.
  • Alex Lubransky. Active commuting and fitness in Otago adolescents.

Master of Dietetics

  • Brylee Haywood. Effects of probiotic supplementation on upper respiratory tract infections in team sports.
  • Dave Shaw. Sports nutrition knowledge differences between able bodied and spinal cord injured athletes.
  • Jessica Moulds. Nutrition knowledge differences between able bodied and spinal cord injured athletes.

Publications

Sharples, A., Buchanan, T. D., Gough, L., Black, A. D., & Black, K. E. (2024). Risk of low energy availability, eating disorders and food insecurity amongst development female rugby league players. Journal of Sports Medicine & Physical Fitness. Advance online publication. doi: 10.23736/s0022-4707.24.15600-9

Pai, N. N., Brown, R. C., & Black, K. E. (2024). Risk of low energy availability and nutrition knowledge among female team sport athletes. Journal of Sports Medicine & Physical Fitness. Advance online publication. doi: 10.23736/s0022-4707.23.15273-x

Jerram, M. L., Baker, D., Smith, T. B., Healey, P., Taylor, L., & Black, K. (2023). The acceptability and efficacy of a 0.1% L-menthol mouth rinse in elite rugby players with practical considerations. Nutrition & Dietetics, 80(S2), (pp. 12-13). doi: 10.1111/1747-0080.12848

Jerram, M. L., Baker, D., Smith, T. B., Healey, P., Taylor, L., & Black, K. (2023). A 0.1% L-menthol mouth swill in elite male rugby players has different effects in forwards and backs. International Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance, 18(9), 909-917. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2022-0191

Rogan, M. M., & Black, K. E. (2023). Dietary energy intake across the menstrual cycle: A narrative review. Nutrition Reviews, 81(7), 869-886. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuac094

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