Anne-Louise M. Heath is a New Zealand academic, and is a full professor at the University of Otago, specialising in baby and infant nutrition, including baby-led weaning and iron deficiency.

Anne-Louise Heath
Academic background
Alma materUniversity of Otago, University of Otago, University of Otago
Theses
Academic work
InstitutionsUniversity of Otago

Academic career

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Heath completed a Bachelor of Science degree with honours in 1994, with a thesis on hormone levels in healthy men.[1] Heath then completed a PhD at the University of Otago, studying iron deficiency in pre-menopausal women.[2] Heath then joined the faculty of the University of Otago, rising to associate professor in 2017 and full professor in 2023.[3][4] She has served on two government Technical Advisory Groups, one for the Development of the New Zealand Nutrition Survey, and the other for the Review of Nutrition Guidance for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women, and Infants and Toddlers.[5]

Heath's research focuses on infant nutrition, covering issues such as the nutritional impact and safety of baby-led weaning.[3] Heath and Professor Rachael Taylor collaborated on a study that showed that toddlers that had experienced baby-led weaning were less fussy eaters and enjoyed their food more.[6] She has also studied iron deficiency in infants and adults. Heath has commented on the whether "toddler milk" is necessary, with her research finding that fortified milk and an increase in red meat are both ways of avoiding reduced iron levels in two-year olds, but that the meat diet was cheaper.[7][8][9] Heath received a Health Research Council grant with Rachael Taylor to study the health impacts of baby food pouches. Pouches may make up 70% of baby-food availability in New Zealand supermarkets, and the study was aimed at addressing concerns about whether their use might encourage babies to overeat, and whether their use would affect nutritional intake and dental health.[10] In 2011, Heath was part of a group of seven Otago researchers who presented their work at Parliament.[11]

Selected works

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References

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  1. ^ Heath, Anne-Louise (1994). The association between dietary factors and serum concentrations of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and 3-a-17-B-androstanediol glucuronide in healthy men (BSc(Hons) thesis). University of Otago.
  2. ^ Heath, Anne-Louise (1999). Mild iron deficiency in premenopausal women from Dunedin, New Zealand (PhD thesis). University of Otago.
  3. ^ a b University of Otago, Wellington (16 December 2022). "Otago announces 39 new professors". www.otago.ac.nz. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  4. ^ Otago, Study Public Health at (14 December 2016). "Otago academics made full professor". www.otago.ac.nz. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  5. ^ Nutrition, Department of Human (9 February 2023). "Professor Anne-Louise Heath". www.otago.ac.nz. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  6. ^ Black, Eleanor (11 July 2016). "Babies who eat widely and feed themselves less fussy as they age - study". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  7. ^ Munro, Bruce (16 October 2009). "Growing our next ironmen and women". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  8. ^ Castles, Belinda. "Are products marketed for kids worth the extra expense?". Consumer NZ. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  9. ^ Castles, Belinda. "Four food fads to question". Consumer NZ. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  10. ^ Brookes, Emily (26 June 2019). "Baby food pouches and baby-led weaning are convenient, but are they healthy?". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  11. ^ Haggart, Matthew (21 June 2011). "Scientists to unveil work for MPs". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
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  • 'Over-fed and under-nourished', seminar 2 September 2014, for Meat & Livestock Australia and hosted by the Dietitians Association of Australia, via YouTube