653 Results

  • The Crisis in youth mental health: what can be done?

    … (WHR24) found a steep decline in the mental wellbeing of youth. Findings from New Zealand-specific research paint a … students (year 7-13) in the 2019 Youth19 survey reporting symptoms of depression - almost doubling from the rate in … rangatahi Māori report higher rates of depressive symptoms - for example, 38% for Māori female youths compared …
    Briefing

  • The race to be the first place in Aotearoa to be smokefree

    … There is growing frustration with lack of robust action and progress at the national level with the … 2025 goal. However, it is not all bad news. A major avenue of hope for a smokefree Aotearoa comes from the enthusiastic … people and resources from NGOs (e.g., Cancer Society, Heart Foundation), DHBs and local authorities. In particular, …
    Briefing

  • Can pandemic threats justify border closure for island nations like NZ?

    … Countries prepare for future pandemic risks because of pandemic influenza, novel emerging infectious agents and … published in a journal, we explored the costs and benefits of complete border closure in NZ in response to new pandemic … some very severe pandemic scenarios where rapid closure of NZ’s border could provide overall societal benefit – even …
    Briefing

  • Promoting physical activity through the prescription of smartphone apps in primary care: Likely to produce health gains and cost-savings

    … Over 40% of NZ adults are insufficiently physically active. In this … modelling work that suggests that the prescription of smartphone apps for physical activity promotion in primary … Inadequate physical activity is a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), diabetes, stroke, and some of cancers …
    Briefing

  • Politicians in Aotearoa NZ live longer than other Kiwis and the gap keeps widening

    … A just published study examined the lifespan of politicians in 11 high-income democratic countries – … matched) and this gap has been growing since 1950. One of the likely reasons is the lower smoking rate of NZ politicians compared to the rest of the population. …
    Briefing

  • The case for lowering salt levels in processed foods is now even stronger – new research

    … and high sodium intake were associated with higher risk of death. But new research suggests that low sodium intakes are not associated with a higher risk of death and the results for low sodium intake in these other … and cost-savings from reducing sodium-related diseases (heart disease is the main cause of death in NZ, while stroke …
    Briefing

  • The rise and rise of specialist vape stores: Time for the Government to act

    … Medical Journal letter , we pointed out the rising number of specialist vape stores (SVRs), many of which are “stores-within-a-store”, small areas within … “the Government’s Vaping Regulatory Authority’s (VRA) [failure to enforce] the regulations as was intended [sic] …
    Briefing

  • Reducing tobacco retail availability: counterarguments to industry claims

    … 2025 goal and proposes substantially reducing the number of retailers selling tobacco. In this blog, we examine … relating to those claims. We find that predictions of dire economic consequences for small retailers are not … Achieving a substantial reduction in the number of outlets selling tobacco is likely to improve population …
    Briefing

  • Debate on ultra-processed foods shouldn’t derail good dietary advice

    … is mounting linking ultra-processed foods (UPF) to risk of chronic disease. Typically, UPF are foods that are … UPF.  Categorising foods according to the type and extent of processing can help us understand the healthfulness of individual foods, diets and the food supply system. …
    Briefing

  • Protecting children and young people from unethical junk food marketing: Upgrading the advertising codes

    … generally favour a regulatory approach (given the lack of evidence for an industry-controlled process and voluntary codes (1)), the current review of the voluntary Advertising Codes in NZ does present another … for the food industry to show they do want to be part of the solution to reduce New Zealand’s unacceptably high …
    Briefing

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Public Health Expert Briefing (ISSN 2816-1203)