Tim Chambers, Department of Public Health, Our people, University of Otago, Wellington, University of Otago, New Zealand

BPhEd(Hons 1st Class) BA PhD (Public Health)

Senior Research Fellow; HEIRU

Contact details
Research interests and activities

Contact details

Tel +64 21 100 4066
Email tim.chambers@otago.ac.nz

Research interests and activities

Tim is a Senior Research Fellow in the Health, Environment and Infection Research Unit at the University of Otago, Wellington. His research interests include environmental health and infectious diseases. Tim is focussed on the public health burden associated with contaminated water, including the link between nitrate and colorectal cancer. Dr Chambers uses spatial and quantitative research methods to understand the connections between place, space and health. Tim’s research also uses innovative technological solutions – such as wearable cameras, GPS devices and Bluetooth tracking devices to understand complex human behaviour. Tim’s research agenda also has a strong equity and policy focus.

Dr Chambers completed his PhD in public health at the Univeristy of Otago in 2018. Dr Chambers is a Fulbright scholar (Harvard University) and also has degrees in Physical Education and Classical Studies. Tim was a research associate at Imperial College London before returning to the University of Otago in April 2020.

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Publications

Branca, F., Chambers, T., & Sassi, F. (2021). How to tackle childhood obesity? Evidence and policy implications from a STOP series of systematic reviews [Introduction]. Obesity Reviews, 22(2), e13181. doi: 10.1111/obr.13181

Chambers, T., Segal, A., & Sassi, F. (2021). Interventions using behavioural insights to influence children's diet-related outcomes: A systematic review. Obesity Reviews, 22, e13152. doi: 10.1111/obr.13152

Freeman, N., Gage, R., Chambers, T., Blaschke, P., Cook, H., Stanley, J., Pearson, A., Smith, M., … Signal, L. (2020). Where do the children play? An objective analysis of children's use of green space. Health Promotion International. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daaa106

Liu, W., Barr, M., Pearson, A. L., Chambers, T., Pfeiffer, K. A., Smith, M., & Signal, L. (2020). Space-time analysis of unhealthy food advertising: New Zealand children's exposure and health policy options. Health Promotion International, 35, 812-820. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daz083

Smith, M., Chambers, T., Abbott, M., & Signal, L. (2020). High stakes: Children’s exposure to gambling and gambling marketing using wearable cameras. International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction, 18, 1025-1047. doi: 10.1007/s11469-019-00103-3

Working Paper; Discussion Paper; Technical Report
Other Research Output
Journal - Research Article
Journal - Research Other
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Awarded Doctoral Degree

Working Paper; Discussion Paper; Technical Report

Anglemyer, A., Parker, L., Chiu, K., Chambers, T., Wilczynska, M., Grady, A., … Parry, M. (2020). Contact tracing technologies in epidemics: A rapid review [CRD42020188946]. PROSPERO. Retrieved from https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero

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Other Research Output

Wilson, N., Chambers, T., Kvalsvig, A., Mizdrak, A., Nghiem, N., Summers, J., Baker, M. (2020, July). NZ's "Team of 5 million" has achieved the lowest COVID-19 death rate in the OECD: But there are still gaps in our pandemic response. Public Health Expert blog. Retrieved from https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/2020/07/22/nzs-team-of-5-million-has-achieved-the-lowest-covid-19-death-rate-in-the-oecd-but-there-are-still-gaps-in-our-pandemic-response

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Journal - Research Article

Anglemyer, A., Moore, T. H. M., Parker, L., Chambers, T., Grady, A., Chiu, K., Parry, M., … Bero, L. (2020). Digital contact tracing technologies in epidemics: A rapid review. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 8, CD013699. doi: 10.1002/14651858.Cd013699

Anglemyer, A., Moore, T. H. M., Parker, L., Chambers, T., Grady, A., Chiu, K., Parry, M., … Bero, L. (2020). Digital contact tracing technologies in epidemics: A rapid review (Review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 8, CD013699. doi: 10.1002%2F14651858.CD013699

McKerchar, C., Smith, M., Stanley, J., Barr, M., Chambers, T., Abel, G., Lacey, C., Gage, R., … Signal, L. (2020). Food store environment examination: FoodSee: A new method to study the food store environment using wearable cameras. Global Health Promotion, 27(3), 73-81. doi: 10.1177/1757975919859575

Wilson, N., Boyd, M., Kvalsvig, A., Chambers, T., & Baker, M. (2020). Public health aspects of the Covid-19 response and opportunities for the post-pandemic era. Policy Quarterly, 16(3), 20-24.

Signal, L. N., Jenkin, G. L. S., Barr, M., Smith, M., Chambers, T. J., Hoek, J., & Ni Mhurchu, C. (2019). Prime Minister for a day: Children's views on junk food marketing and what to do about it. New Zealand Medical Journal, 132(1492), 36-45. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Gage, R., Leung, W., Stanley, J., Reeder, A., Mackay, C., Chambers, T., Smith, M., Barr, M., & Signal, L. (2019). Studying third-parties and environments: New Zealand sun-safety research. Health Promotion International, 34(3), 440-446. doi: 10.1093/heapro/dax094

Chambers, T., Stanley, J., Pearson, A. L., Smith, M., Barr, M., Ni Mhurchu, C., & Signal, L. (2019). Quantifying children's non-supermarket exposure to alcohol marketing via product packaging using wearable cameras. Journal of Studies on Alcohol & Drugs, 80(2), 158-166. doi: 10.15288/jsad.2019.80.158

Chambers, T., Pearson, A. L., Kawachi, I., Stanley, J., Smith, M., Barr, M., … Signal, L. (2018). Children's home and school neighbourhood exposure to alcohol marketing: Using wearable camera and GPS data to directly examine the link between retailer availability and visual exposure to marketing. Health & Place, 54, 102-109. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2018.09.012

Gage, R., Leung, W., Stanley, J., Reeder, A., Mackay, C., Smith, M., Barr, M., Chambers, T., & Signal, L. (2018). Sun protection among New Zealand primary school children. Health Education & Behavior, 45(5), 800-807. doi: 10.1177/1090198117741943

Chambers, T., Stanley, J., Signal, L., Pearson, A. L., Smith, M., Barr, M., & Ni Mhurchu, C. (2018). Quantifying the nature and extent of children's real-time exposure to alcohol marketing in their everyday lives using wearable cameras: Children's exposure via a range of media in a range of key places. Alcohol & Alcoholism, 53(5), 626-633. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agy053

Smith, M., Stanley, J., Signal, L., Barr, M., Chambers, T., Balina, A., … Wilson, N. (2018). Children's healthy and unhealthy beverage availability, purchase and consumption: A wearable camera study. Appetite, 133, 240-251. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2018.11.004

Gage, R., Barr, M., Stanley, J., Reeder, A., Mackay, C., Smith, M., Chambers, T., Leung, W., & Signal, L. (2018). Sun protection and shade availability in New Zealand's outdoor recreation spaces. New Zealand Medical Journal, 131(1484), 30-37. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Signal, L. N., Smith, M. B., Barr, M., Stanley, J., Chambers, T. J., Zhou, J., … Jenkin, G. L. S., Pearson, A. L., … Hoek, J., & Ni Mhurchu, C. (2017). Kids'Cam: An objective methodology to study the world in which children live. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 53(3), e89-e95. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2017.02.016

Signal, L. N., Stanley, J., Smith, M., Barr, M. L., Chambers, T. J., Zhou, J., … McKerchar, C., Pearson, A. L., Hoek, J., Jenkin, G. L. S., & Ni Mhurchu, C. (2017). Children's everyday exposure to food marketing: An objective analysis using wearable cameras. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity, 14, 137. doi: 10.1186/s12966-017-0570-3

Pearson, A. L., Bottomley, R., Chambers, T., Thornton, L., Stanley, J., Smith, M., Barr, M., & Signal, L. (2017). Measuring blue space visibility and ‘blue recreation’ in the everyday lives of children in a capital city. International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health, 14(6), 563. doi: 10.3390/ijerph14060563

Chambers, T., Pearson, A. L., Kawachi, I., Rzotkiewicz, Z., Stanley, J., Smith, M., Barr, M., … Signal, L. (2017). Kids in space: Measuring children’s residential neighborhoods and other destinations using activity space GPS and wearable camera data. Social Science & Medicine, 193, 41-50. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.09.046

Chambers, T., Pearson, A. L., Stanley, J., Smith, M., Barr, M., Ni Mhurchu, C., & Signal, L. (2017). Children's exposure to alcohol marketing within supermarkets: An objective analysis using GPS technology and wearable cameras. Health & Place, 46, 274-280. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.06.003

Chambers, T., Signal, L., Carter, M.-A., McConville, S., Wong, R., & Zhu, W. (2017). Alcohol sponsorship of a summer of sport: A frequency analysis of alcohol marketing during major sports events on New Zealand television. New Zealand Medical Journal, 130(1448), 27-33. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Gage, R., Leung, W., Stanley, J., Reeder, A., Barr, M., Chambers, T., Smith, M., & Signal, L. (2017). Clothing protection from ultraviolet radiation: A new method for assessment. Photochemistry & Photobiology, 93(6), 1513-1518. doi: 10.1111/php.12803

Chambers, T., & Shaw, S. (2016). Female water polo players' experiences of male coaches' approaches to pain and injury. Graduate Journal of Sport, Exercise & Physical Education Research, 4, 29-42.

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Journal - Research Other

Gurtner, M., Gage, R., Thomson, G., Jaine, R., Stanley, J., Smith, M., Barr, M., Chambers, T., & Signal, L. (2019). Are children smoke-free at home? Using wearable cameras to study children's exposure to smoking and smoking paraphernalia in private spaces [Short report]. Child: Care, Health & Development, 45, 306-309. doi: 10.1111/cch.12631

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Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Smeaton, A., McGuinness, K., Gurrin, C., Zhou, J., O'Connor, N. E., Wang, P., … Signal, L., Smith, M., Stanley, J., Barr, M., Chambers, T., & Ni Mhurchu, C. (2016). Semantic indexing of wearable camera images: Kids’ Cam concepts. Proceedings of the ACM workshop on Vision and Language Integration Meets Multimedia Fusion. (pp. 27-34). New York, NY: ACM. doi: 10.1145/2983563.2983566

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Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Smith, M., Stanley, J., Barr, M., Chambers, T., Balina, A., Ni Mhurchu, C., … Wilson, N., & Signal, L. (2020). Children's healthy and unhealthy beverage availability, purchase and consumption: A wearable camera study. Proceedings of the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity (ISBNPA) XChange. (pp. 702). International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. Retrieved from https://venuewest.eventsair.com/isbnpa-xchange-initiative

Smith, M., Balina, A., Stanley, J., Barr, M., Chambers, T., Ni Mhurchu, C., … Wilson, N., & Signal, L. (2017). Drink-up: Determining the nature and extent of children's beverage consumption using wearable cameras. Proceedings of the 15th World Congress on Public Health. Retrieved from https://wcph2017.entegyapp.com/Page/28/782/26/1459

Signal, L., Smith, M., Barr, M., Chambers, T., Stanley, J., Zhou, J., … Hoek, J., & Ni Mhurchu, C. (2017). Marketing obesity? A real-time analysis of children's exposure to food marketing. Proceedings of the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Annual Meeting. (pp. 204). ISBNPA. Retrieved from https://www.isbnpa.org

Signal, L., Smith, M., Barr, M., Chambers, T., Stanley, J., Zhou, J., … Lanumata, T., Pearson, A., … Hoek, J., & Ni Mhurchu, C. (2017). Saturated with junk: The extent of junk food marketing in children's everyday lives. Proceedings of the 7th Activity and Nutrition Aotearoa Conference. (pp. 52). Retrieved from https://ana.org.nz

Barr, M., Signal, L., Smith, M., Smith, J., Chambers, T., Zhou, J., … Hoek, J., & Ni Mhurchu, C. (2017). Overexposed? Quantifying children's exposure to outdoor food advertising. Proceedings of the 15th World Congress on Public Health. Retrieved from https://wcph2017.entegyapp.com/Page/28/554/26/1459

McKerchar, C., Signal, L., Smith, M., Barr, M., Chambers, T., Stanley, J., & Ni Mhurchu, C. (2017). Confronting the convenience: The role of convenience stores in New Zealand children's food environments. Proceedings of the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Annual Meeting. (pp. 150). ISBNPA. Retrieved from https://www.isbnpa.org

Puloka, V., Smith, M., Stanley, J., Chambers, T., & Signal, L. (2017). Tonga's school food policy: An evaluation. Proceedings of the Otago Global Health Institute (OGHI) 10th Annual Conference. (pp. 5). Retrieved from http://www.otago.ac.nz/global-health/annual-conference

Barr, M., Signal, L., Smith, M., Stanley, J., Chambers, T., Zhou, J., … Ni Mhurchu, C. (2017). Quantifying children's exposure to outdoor food advertising. Proceedings of the 7th Activity and Nutrition Aotearoa Conference. (pp. 75). Retrieved from https://ana.org.nz

McKerchar, C., Smith, M., Stanley, J., Barr, M., Chambers, T., Ni Mhurchu, C., & Signal, L. (2017). Confronting the convenience: The role of convenience stores in children's food environments. Proceedings of the 15th World Congress on Public Health. Retrieved from https://wcph2017.entegyapp.com/Page/28/165/26/1459

Smith, M., Stanley, J., Barr, M., Chambers, T., Balina, A., Ni Mhurchu, C., … Wilson, N., & Signal, L. (2017). Drink-up: Determining the nature and extent of children's beverage consumption using wearable cameras. Proceedings of the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Annual Meeting. (pp. 452-453). ISBNPA. Retrieved from https://www.isbnpa.org

Smith, M., Signal, L., Barr, M., Stanley, J., Jenkin, G., Chambers, T., Gage, R., … Ni Mhurchu, C. (2016). Automated anthropology: A new method of working with children and exploring their world. Proceedings of the 3rd Aotearoa New Zealand Childhood Studies Colloquium: Children and Childhoods: Agency, Participation and Contribution. (pp. 20-21). Retrieved from https://www.ivvy.com/event/A1ZAMK/

Signal, L., Smith, M., Barr, M., Chambers, T., Stanley, J., Zhou, J., … Jenkin, G., Lanumata, T., Pearson, A., … Hoek, J., & Ni Mhurchu, C. (2016). Saturated with junk: The extent of junk food marketing in children's everyday. Obesity Reviews, 17(Suppl. 2), (pp. 182). doi: 10.1111/obr.12403

Signal, L., Smith, M., Barr, M., Stanley, J., Jenkin, G., Chambers, T., Gage, R., … Ni Mhurchu, C. (2016). Automated anthropology: A new method of working with children and exploring their world. Saúde e Sociedade, 25(Suppl. 1), (pp. 1658). [Abstract]

Signal, L., Smith, M., Barr, M., Chambers, T., Stanley, J., Zhou, J., … Jenkin, G., Lanumata, T., … Pearson, A., Hoek, J., & Ni Mhurchu, C. (2016). Kid's Cam: Cutting edge methodology to study obesogenic environments. Obesity Reviews, 17(Suppl. 2), (pp. 180-181). doi: 10.1111/obr.12403

Chambers, T., Signal, L., Smith, M., Stanley, J., & Pearson, A. (2016). Bombarded with booze: Children's exposure to on-site marketing at alcohol outlets. Saúde e Sociedade, 25(Suppl. 1), (pp. 1309). [Abstract]

Lowe, B., Smith, M., Jaine, R., Barr, M., Chambers, T., Stanley, J., … Ni Mhurchu, C. (2016). Watching the watchers: Quantifying the duration and nature of children's after-school screen time. Obesity Reviews, 17(Suppl. 2), (pp. 181). doi: 10.1111/obr.12403

Signal, L., Smith, M., Barr, M., Chambers, T., Stanley, J., Jenkin, G., Ni Mhurchu, C., … Gurrin, C. (2016). Kid's Cam: The frequency, duration and nature of children's everyday exposure to food and beverage marketing. Saúde e Sociedade, 25(Suppl. 1), (pp. 151-152). [Abstract]

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Awarded Doctoral Degree

Chambers, T. J. (2018). The extent and nature of children’s real-time exposure to alcohol marketing using wearable cameras and GPS devices (PhD). University of Otago. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/8265

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