Medical Sciences Forum, Volume 18, Issue 1

The 2022 Annual Conference for the Nutrition Society of New Zealand took place in Wellington, New Zealand, at Massey University [...]

Nutrition and health claims have been regulated by Standard 1.2.7 of the Food Standards Code since 2016. Standard 1.2.7 was introduced in 2013, with a three-year transition period. This study aims to evaluate the impact of Standard 1.2.7 by a) identi...

Selenium is essential for human health because it produces selenoproteins, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory roles. Recently published data have suggested high selenium status (high hair selenium concentration) improved outcomes in patient...

Appropriately planned vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate; however, without careful planning, some nutrients may be at risk of inadequacy, especially in adolescence, when energy and nutrient requirements are higher relative to body mass. T...

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are the third most abundant component in breast milk. HMOs benefit infant gut health, modulate immune responses, and promote brain development. The profile and concentration of HMOs vary considerably among breastfee...

The experiences of youth with high-risk glycaemic control using intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring (isCGM) systems are not well known. In the context of a randomised controlled trial investigating a 6-month isCGM intervention, this...

In New Zealand, 7% of deaths are related to respiratory diseases, and Pacific people are at higher risk. This work investigated the causal effects of early-life nutritional factors on early-adulthood lung function among Pacific Islands Families Study...

Modifiable lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and diet, are proven to have a significant effect on chronic disease conditions. Over two decades ago, New Zealand implemented an initiative to support increasing physical activity to reduce chr...

In children, diets high in sodium and low in potassium lead to increased blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. This study aimed to describe the major packaged food sources of sodium for New Zealand children aged 5 to 14 yea...

Iron deficiency is the most prevalent micronutrient deficiency globally and is a common diagnosis in adolescent females. Causal factors for this population include low dietary iron intake, iron bioavailability, increased iron requirements and excessi...

Fast foods contribute to excessive intake of sodium in New Zealand (~3373–3544 mg/day). High sodium consumption is associated with hypertension, a leading risk factor of cardiovascular disease. Our objectives were to (1) estimate sodium reducti...

Poor diet is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome and poor cognitive function. This study uses the Eating Index in Older Adults (the index) to measure adherence to New Zealand’s dietary guidelines in older adults and associat...

Baby food pouches are becoming an increasingly popular way to assist the transition from breast milk or infant formula to solid foods, both in New Zealand (NZ) and worldwide. These pouches have overtaken the market in NZ supermarkets, with 63.9% of t...

Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies worldwide and is the leading cause of anaemia. Iron deficiency is disproportionately represented in the female population, partially due to the significant blood loss experienced duri...

Household food insecurity, defined in New Zealand (NZ) as a ‘limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited ability to acquire acceptable foods in a socially acceptable way’, is a serious public heal...

Transitioning from milk to complementary food (CF) is a critical time for infants, with the non-timely introduction associated with poorer health outcomes. We aimed to describe the timing of the introduction of CF and its sociodemographic association...

The importance of breastfeeding and the appropriate introduction of complementary feeding are well recognised. Our objective was to investigate adherence to breastfeeding and complementary feeding guidelines in New Zealand (NZ) infants aged 7.0 to 10...

Unhealthy diets and excess energy intake are the greatest contributors to disease and disability in Aotearoa. Unhealthy diets are heavily influenced by obesogenic food environments. Governments and the private sector have critical roles to play in cr...

Healthy food and drink guidance for early learning services (ELS) provided by the Ministry of Health (MoH) assists ELS to develop policies and practices to promote healthy eating habits in childhood. This study aimed to assess alignment of food and d...

The excess consumption of added sugars is associated with dental caries and an increased risk of chronic disease. Based on WHO recommendations, less than 10% of energy should come from free sugars; however, the current New Zealand (NZ) estimated inta...

Reducing human meat intake contributes to a reduction in environmental degradation and non-communicable diseases, but meat-reduction policy interventions are limited, and globally, meat intake remains high. Meat-Free Mondays (MFM) is a global campaig...

Previous estimates of the prevalence of vegetarians in New Zealand are unreliable. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of vegetarians, vegans and other dietary patterns that exclude some animal-sourced foods in a large representative sample o...

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterised by inflammation of the synovial lining of joints, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness with potential for joint deformity. RA affects about 2.3% of New Zealanders and 2.8% of M...

Optimal nutrition during early childhood is essential to support physiological and cognitive development. However, data on nutrient intakes and associations with socioeconomic deprivation are lacking in young children living in New Zealand (NZ). As a...

Milk structural assemblies (e.g., casein micelles) occur naturally and can be altered during processing, and this may influence the milk’s nutritional properties. Heat treatment of dairy ensures microbiological safety and extends shelf-life. Bo...

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) is an ancient Andean crop, traditionally used for both food and medicinal purposes, which was first introduced to New Zealand in the 1980s. In recent years, there has been growing global interest in yacon due to its p...

Coeliac disease, presenting in about 1.4% of the world’s population, is an auto-immune disorder triggered by the gluten protein found in wheat, barley, rye and other grains, which can result in damage to the gastro-intestinal tract villi, leadi...

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability in older adults worldwide. This study aimed to determine the associations between inflammatory markers, dietary intake and OA symptoms and pain. Understanding these associations has the potential t...

The increasing awareness of the overall health consumers, in particular young people, has driven a shift from fruit juices and carbonated drinks to functional beverages. Functional drinks utilising new ingredients (e.g., prebiotics and probiotics) ha...

Food waste is a growing issue globally, with estimates that 40% of all food is being wasted. Despite a growing body of research on food waste, information regarding the tertiary education sector is lacking. The variety and size of food service operat...

Iodine is an essential micronutrient required for thyroid function, and is essential during pregnancy for growth and development. Manatū Hauora (MoH) recommends an iodine supplement of 150 µg/day during pregnancy and breastfeeding. To redu...

‘Hass’ avocado (Persea americana Mill) by-products (peel, and seed) are rich sources of potential antimicrobial agents. The current study used thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) as a colour indicator to evaluate the antibacterial ca...