Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury
Ara Institute of Canterbury’s Department of Applied Sciences and Social Practice has been at the centre of the Nutrition Society of New Zealand’s latest two-day conference.
Ara was bronze sponsor of the event with senior lecturer at the Department of Applied Sciences and Social Practice, Maria Choukri leading the organising committee and many more Ara kaimahi and ākonga involved in putting the programme together.
Experts in the field of nutrition are delivered presentations on a variety of topics focussing on the latest nutritional science and its impact on overall health, innovative dietary strategies, and practical approaches to nutrition.
Almost 200 delegates and associates took part in the event held at the Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo ki Ōtautahi, the University of Otago Christchurch campus.
Among them were 36 ākonga (students) studying nutrition at Ara whose attendance was funded by the Ara Foundation.
Maria Choukri said their participation saw them gain networking opportunities with leading experts, researchers, and peers in the field of nutrition as well as insights into cutting-edge research and innovative practices.
“The conference also offered them the chance to enhance their CVs and open doors to future career opportunities and possible practicum opportunities,” she said.
Conference workshops tailored for postgraduate students, early career researchers, and registered nutritionists also featured Ara kaimahi.
Nutrition lecturer in Ara’s bachelor of Applied Science (Nutrition) programme Juliet Slattery co-hosted a session with Ara graduate Hannah Alexander (now with the University of Otago) on Red Flags in Endurance Sports Nutrition. The workshop highlighted the mistakes or red flags seen in endurance athletes that may not be easily identified.
Another workshop; Dietary Shift and Paradigm Shift, was co-lead by Ara Senior Academic Staff member Lena Mkwara and explored the ancient wisdom behind the Pure Diet (Oriental Vegan).
As always, the conference featured the Muriel Bell Lecture in honour of Dr Muriel Bell, a pioneering nutritionist and public health advocate in New Zealand.
This year it was presented by Professor Pamela von Hurst Professor Emerita in the College of Health, Massey University and immediate past-president of the Nutrition Society of New Zealand.
Her lecture addressed the issue of achieving impact from research in human nutrition and the push-back from the multitude of social media “experts”.
The conference wrapped up on Friday.
