632 Results

  • An open letter to Cabinet Ministers from 74 health professors calling for a sugary drinks tax

    … to remove rotten teeth (1). We applaud the government for making childhood obesity a national health priority, … are not so easily confused and there is majority support for a sugary drinks tax (over 80% in Herald Poll last week). … caries. The industry arguments are as readily refuted for sugary drinks as they were for tobacco (see Annex 2, …
    Briefing

  • Covid-19: A planetary disease

    … conditions; and the capture, trade and killing of animals for human consumption as well as for therapeutic purposes and use as exotic pets. The illegal … drugs, people, and arms smuggling, and hence a reason for the decline of many endangered species. Many of these …
    Briefing

  • Media release: Why we need an Aotearoa Centre for Disease Control (CDC)

    … Aotearoa New Zealand needs a Centre for Disease Control (CDC) to prepare the country for future pandemics which have the potential to be far worse … Communication Centre— Why we need an Aotearoa Centre for Disease Control —Professor Michael Baker, Professor John …
    News

  • Reducing waiting times for cataract surgery is good value-for-money for falls prevention

    … has shown that these interventions are also good value for money. However, there is also evidence that … of cases. However, there are often substantial wait times for cataract surgery in the NZ public health system, with a … private providers, immediately following diagnosis, paid for by DHBs in order to avoid the nearly year-long waiting …
    Briefing

  • The Government’s transport plans work against our health

    … transport system. This will have considerable implications for an already overburdened health system, as well as social, … to a wide range of health, social and economic impacts. For example, if we take physical activity as a specific … with reductions in cognitive decline (40% reduction), risk for type 2 diabetes (35%), hypertension (33%), depression …
    Briefing

  • Vaping prevalence and trends: Important findings from 2023-24 NZ Health Survey

    … Summary New Zealand Health Survey (NZHS) data for 2023/2024 have been released. Daily vaping prevalence … with higher levels of deprivation.  The findings call for detailed ongoing monitoring and research to assess … (at least monthly) are vaping daily (79% in 2023/24).   For the first time, the NZHS data explorer provided data on …
    Briefing

  • Study of NZ fruit & vegetable prices suggests markets best value-for-money

    … Food prices matter for determining access to healthy food – and so we studied … of fruits and vegetables is a well-known risk factor for a wide array of diseases (including heart disease and … found to be the fifth most important risk factor worldwide for disability and disease and a diet low in vegetables was …
    Briefing

  • Calling for action on suicide prevention in Aotearoa

    … on the second Draft Suicide Prevention Action Plan for 2025-2029. We have a unique opportunity to craft a … and 75% of them are men 1 (see Figure 1 below and Appendix for key epidemiological trends).  Yet suicides are … broader social determinants.      Central principles for suicide prevention  We consider that a whole-of-society …
    Briefing

  • The long shadow of Cyclone Gabrielle: Brief review at 12 months

    … damage (farmland and tourism sites). There is a need for much more central and local government investment in … As of 11 January 2024, MBIE data provided to us shows 469 houses nationwide have been “red stickered” due to the … weather, indicating they are uninhabitable. Another 2412 houses have been “yellow stickered”, meaning that they are …
    Briefing

  • We need to talk about breast cancer screening (part 1)

    … In the Part 2 blog (appearing on Thursday), they aim for more specific recommendations. Population screening attracts controversy. For breast cancer screening there is an ongoing controversy … fundamental rationale of screening; should we be screening for breast cancer at all? This is a big deal, given that most …
    Briefing

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Public Health Expert Briefing (ISSN 2816-1203)