Bayer Food Focus Project to explore eating behaviours of Kiwis
• Bayer is partnering with NZNF and key nutrition experts to deliver a Food Focus Project
• The first Australasian study to use Veggie Meter finger-scan technology, to digitally measure levels of
beta-carotene - a plant form of Vitamin A
• Survey to determine the foods commonly consumed by Kiwis
Auckland 16th September 2019 – A new partnership aimed at exploring what Kiwis eat and why was announced by Bayer New
Zealand today.
Coined as the Bayer Food Focus Project, the partnership brings together Bayer and the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation
(NZNF) with expert help from the Foundation’s Board members, Elaine Rush, Scientific Director and Emeritus Professor of
Nutrition at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), and Niki Bezzant, nutrition writer and commentator.
The project will consist of two key parts: the use of a new innovative technology, the Veggie Meter, to establish a
benchmark of Kiwis’ vegetable and fruit consumption; and an online questionnaire to understand which foods New
Zealanders are commonly consuming.
The Veggie Meter, originally developed in the US, measures participants’ levels of beta-carotene, a plant derived form
of Vitamin A through a fingertip reading device. The technology accurately and painlessly measures whether people are
getting enough beta-carotene from plants to be considered healthy. This will be the first study in Australasia to
utilise the Veggie Meter technology.
“Much of New Zealand's nutrition data is out of date. This creates challenges for researchers, the food industry and
policymakers when looking into what needs to be done to improve the food system and health outcomes for Kiwis,” says
Professor Elaine Rush.
“We all know that we should eat a variety of vegetables and fruit every day, but for many reasons, this is not
happening. We want to find out what the average level of plant Vitamin A is among our population - as it’s a key
nutrient found in fruits and vegetables. This will give us a benchmark against the recommended intake, as it's reported
that only four out of ten New Zealand adults consume the existing recommendation of five plus a day.”
The Food Focus Project is led by Bayer, with expert help from NZNF and members of its Board. The project aims to support
New Zealanders in making more positive food choices and encouraging people to take more consideration of their diet for
the betterment of their overall health. Heart disease, diabetes, strokes, high blood pressure and some cancers are all
nutrition-related diseases that can take years from life and life from years.
“As a life science company with a focus on consumer health and agriculture, this initiative has a natural alignment for
us. We want New Zealand to be a healthier nation and are committed in finding ways to support this,” says Bayer New
Zealand Managing Director Derek Bartlett.
Although the Bayer Food Focus project does not profess to be an update on the decade old Adult Nutrition Survey carried
out by the Ministry of Health in 2008-09, it does hope to plug some of the gaps felt by the industry.
“We should uncover some interesting findings that shed light on our dietary habits as a nation, and perhaps, make people
stop and think about their own food consumption,” says Niki Bezzant.
“Having access to a valid measure of the quality of foods eaten and gaining up-to-date insights into what and why
certain foods are being consumed over others, can help us better address these issues and find actionable solutions to
make health and wellbeing a priority for all,” concludes Sarah Hanrahan, Chief Executive Officer of the NZNF.
The Bayer Food Focus Project commenced its two-part study last month, with the survey results expected to be released in
October along with the early findings of the Veggie Meter study. The Veggie Meter field measurements are being carried
out by PhD students who specialise in food and nutrition from AUT’s Faculty of Health and Environmental Science, with
the online survey conducted by the National Research Bureau.
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