Dr Sarah Hancock
Born and bred in Timaru, New Zealand, , I developed a lifelong passion for health and physical activity, and how to live well and enjoy optimal health. I achieved a Bachelor of Physical Education degree with Honours in Sports Psychology and Exercise Physiology at the University of Otago in 1996. During a subsequent four-year period of living in the United Kingdom, I obtained a Masters degree in Health Technology Assessment. I became increasingly aware of the increasing burden of the chronic diet-related disease on individuals, their families, their communities and on the health systems both in New Zealand and globally. A range of life events led me to focus on child health research, informed in no small part by the high prevalence of poor oral health in NZ children; 29,000 children under the age of 14 lose teeth each year to tooth decay, and more than 7,000 preschool children in New Zealand are hospitalised to have multiple teeth removed under general anaesthetic. Sad but true!
My PhD research investigated dental caries disease burdens in New Zealand children, and separate dietary factors associated with harm, and benefit for oral and general health, methods of assessing nutrition knowledge and dietary intake, and how to address barriers people experience in achieving optimal health through lifestyle choices
I am an advocate for dietary lifestyles incorporating a whole food eating pattern that minimises the intake of highly refined, ultra-processed foods for the prevention of chronic diet-related disease, and have a experience in establishing community-based initiatives for health promotion. I am currently employed at the School of Public Health at the University of Adelaide, South Australia and I am completing training through the Holistic Performance Institute to become a registered health coach.
Dr Sarah Hancock 