SiHMNet: Simulation Health Modelling Network

There are a number of modelling research projects being carried out in the Department of Public Health that form the research network, SiHMNet: Simulation Health Modelling Network.

This network follows on from the Burden of Disease Epidemiology, Equity and Cost-Effectiveness Programme (BODE³) that ended in January 2022. This network helps ensure that high quality research studying the health and wider societal gains, costs, cost-effectiveness and equity impacts of preventive health policy and interventions continues in the Department.

Details of these projects, their links and the researchers to contact are included below.

Sustainable diets for Aotearoa New Zealand

This Healthier Lives funded research (2020–2024) aims to identify an optimal diet that keeps New Zealand (NZ) within the safe operating space for greenhouse gas emissions whilst still meeting population dietary requirements at minimised cost. The effects of this healthy, sustainable diet, as well as policies to help New Zealanders move towards this diet, will be modelled to estimate their health effects, impact on ethnic health inequities, environmental impacts and costs. Consultation will take place to identify policies that are considered feasible and acceptable to policy makers and the public, especially Māori, in order to increase the chances of these policies being adopted.

This research will provide policymakers and practitioners with information on how best to improve population diets to maximise net health and environmental co-benefits and to decrease health inequities in New Zealand.