Dr Lisa Te Morenga

Lisa Te Morenga (Ngāti Whātua, Te Rarawa) is a Research Fellow in the Department of Human Nutrition and is affiliated with the Riddet Institute – a National Centre of Research Excellence in food science and nutrition. Lisa works closely with Professor Jim Mann and collaborates with researchers associated with the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes and Obesity Research at the University of Otago Medical School. She started her working career as a Forestry Scientist with the New Zealand Forest Research Institute after graduating with a BForSc(Hons) from the University of Canterbury in 1993. In 2004 she decided to change career path completing a BSc in Human Nutrition in 2005 and a PhD on “the effects of macronutrient composition on risk of diabetes” in 2010, both at the University of Otago.

Lisa’s primary motivation is to undertake research that is of direct benefit to Māori and thus focuses on the role of nutrition in the development of preventable diseases that inflict a particularly high health burden on the Maori community. She is actively engaged with Maori students and academic staff at the University of Otago and developing research relationships with Ngāti Whātua that are necessary to be able to contribute to kaupapa Maori health research.

Her research specialties include: Epidemiological studies, dietary intervention studies, and systematic review and meta-analyses examining the effects of macronutrient composition (including free sugars, dietary fibre, carbohydrates, fats and protein) on physiological endpoints associated with increased risk of preventable diseases including obesity, the metabolic syndrome, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Primary macronutrient interests include dietary sugars, dietary fibre and dietary protein.