Science Media Centre

Christmas is coming, and while for many New Zealanders the festive season does involve a feast, there will be many others struggling to feed their family even the most basic meal. Food insecurity is on the increase. Results from the latest Adult Nutrition Survey published earlier this year showed that  from 1997 to 2008/09 the [...]

New research has found that the incidence of a tissue damaging bacterial infection – necrotising fascitits – is rising in New Zealand. National media have been quick to report on the increases in cases of ‘flesh-eating’ bacteria. The research, published in the Journal of Infection, shows that necrotising fascitits has risen from fewer than 10 [...]

New research suggests that one -and only one- drink of alcohol a day could be good for the health of middle-aged women. However, the implied benefits of alcohol are drawing criticism from some experts.   US researchers have studied over 121,000 nurses enrolled in the US Nurses’ Health Study which started in 1976. They compared [...]

Writer Kate Fraser investigates the health effects of salt and what we are doing to mitigate them. An excerpt (from the Press, read in full here): How much salt is too much? The anti-smoking lobby has a pointer or two when it comes to cutting down on salt, writes Kate Fraser . Every other day [...]

The Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Sir Peter Gluckman, today released a comprehensive report on the health and social issues faced by New Zealand’s teenagers. The Prime Minister last year asked his Sir Peter Gluckman to explore the factors underlying adolescent behaviour and to indicate where there may be evidence-based opportunities for changes to policy [...]

Research spearheaded by University of Otago researchers has found that the extent of a child’s self-control can predict their health, wealth and criminal activity as adults, irrespective of their IQ or social background. Self-control includes such traits as perseverance, self discipline and conscientiousness, and the study’s authors suggest that children and teenagers be encouraged in [...]

Rebecca Todd writes in The Press about calls by the Secondary Principal’s Association of New Zealand to restric what dairies near schools can sell during school hours. Research from the University of Otago has shown that dairies are far more numerous in poorer areas, and areas which include schools. An excerpt: (read in full here) [...]

An international team of scientists looking at data from NZ women who’re part of the SCOPE study have found 14 fatty acids which could help predict the development of preeclampsia in women who’re pregnant for the first time. Currently, there is no such test, and the only way to treat the disorder is by delivering [...]

Rebecca Todd writes in The Press about a surgeon in Christchurch who, for the first time, is using a robot to remove gynaecological tumours. The robots allow for surgery to be more precise and ‘easy’, and eliminates the challenges which can come with shaky hands or fatigue. An excerpt: (read in full here) The instruments [...]

Samantha Hayes reports that a University of Otago study has found that despite an international ban on tobacco advertising, YouTube has a great deal of tobacco-related advertising and pro-tobacco video clips. Researchers looked at five different brands, including Malboro, and tobacco-related video clips tended to involve celebrities, movies and sports. An excerpt: (read in full [...]