Rachael Taylor
Rachael Taylor is a Research Associate Professor and Karitane Fellow in Early Childhood Obesity at the Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research Centre based at the University of Otago. She is a nutritionist by training who is interested in nutrition, physical activity, sleep and body composition during the the growing years. She currently leads or co-leads 5 large randomised controlled trials, investigating different ways of effectively managing body weight at all stages of life. Current projects of interest include evaluating the use of baby-led weaning as an alternative method for introducing solids to infants (BLISS), the effect of changing the play environment at schools to one that promotes risky play (PLAY), and testing alternative ways of supporting adults to manage their weight when they are on self-chosen diet and exercise plans (SWIFT).
Obesity - The Changing Demographics Concurrent Workshop Repeated Friday, 13 June 2014 Start 11:00am Duration: 55mins Room 4 Start 12:05pm Duration: 55mins Room 4 Obesity and Infant Feeding Main Session  Friday, 13 June 2014 Start 2:40pm Duration: 20mins Baytrust Almost one in three New Zealand children are overweight or obese by the time they are only 2-4 years of age. Although birth weights have increased in recent times, these differences are only very small. What might be happening during the first few years of life to promote this excess weight in early childhood is currently an area of intense research interest. Both pre- and post-natal factors are important but this talk will focus on the latter. Areas of interest that will be discussed whether overweight tracks early in life, controversy over the contribution of breastfeeding to later weight status, whether how we introduce solids to babies is affecting the ability to self-regulate their energy intake, what feeding practices parents use that may be impairing a child’s ability to manage food, and whether interventions can work.