LENScience
Further Resources
This page contains additional resources for teachers to better understand the Gut Bugs trial, context embedded learning and the work that LENScience does.
Related Resources
Links to Science Learning Hub activities that support learning about NoS thinking and processes:
Gut Bugs, Obesity and the Human Microbiome
Gut Bugs Trial
“Could eating thin people’s poo make you lose weight?"
Entertaining Newhub video clip and article about the Gut Bugs trail.
“Gut Bugs trial launches in Auckland”
University of Auckland news article on the launch of the Gut Bugs trial.
Human Microbiome
“An alimentary guide to microbes”
This Cosmos article raises some interesting points for discussion.
A scientific review of what constitutes a healthy diet from a sustainable food system.
“Fat or thin: Can the bacteria in our gut affect our eating habits and weight?”
This The Conversation article contains useful links to information on the human microbiome, gut microbiota and obesity.
Engaging 2-4 player board and card game where players aim to develop a healthy gut microbiome.
“How our microbes make us who we are”
Watch this TED talk with Rob Knight on how our microbes shape us.
Human Food Project and American Gut
Blog featuring various helpful articles on the human microbiome.
Engaging website that addresses the questions: "Which microbes live in me, on me and around me? How do I interact with them?"
Scientists at the Liggins Institute are currently investigating whether babies born by caesarean section can be protected from a greater risk of obesity by being given bacteria from their mothers’ vaginas soon after birth.
Healthy Eating
“Impact of overweight and obesity as a risk factor for chronic conditions”
This Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report details estimates on the impact of obesity and its link to chronic diseases.
Ministry of Health BMI calculator
Use this BMI calculator to find out you are at a healthy weight.
World Health Organisation obesity fact sheet
This fact sheet contains important information on overweight and obesity classifications.
The National Library of New Zealand (Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa) curates quality learning resources on a range of topics.
LENScience Resources and References for Teachers
Integrating Health Checks into Learning
This learning resource supports the integration of student health checks into the Healthy Start to Life Education for Adolescent Programmes.
Me, Myself, My Environment: Nutrition
This paper supports teaching and learning at middle and secondary school levels as part of the LENScience Healthy Start to Life Adolescent Education Project.
These learning resources aim to connect students to research being undertaken in New Zealand into food choices.
Web page for teachers providing information on NCD risk factors.
Seminar paper (under development)
Seminar paper providing background information on the human microbiome.
The Non-Communicable Disease Epidemic
This teacher PLD e-module provides an overview of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), issues and impacts and links between early-life environmental exposures and later-life NCD risk.
What are Non-Communicable Diseases?
Informative web page for teachers on non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
References
Bay, J., & Vickers, M. (2016). Adolescent education: An opportunity to create a Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) circuit breaker. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 7(5), 501-504. https://doi.org/10.1017/S204017441600026X
Ding, R., Goh, W., Wu, R., Yue, X., Luo, W. … & Lee, Y. (2019). Revisit gut microbiota and its impact on human health and disease. Journal of Food and Drug Analysis. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfda.2018.12.012
Hipkins, R., & Bull, A. (2015). Science capabilities for a functional understanding of the nature of science. Curriculum Matters, 11, 117-133. http://dx.doi.org/10.18296/cm.0007
Jayasinghe, T. N. (2019). The long and short term dynamics of the human gut microbiome. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Jayasinghe, T. N., Chiavaroli, V. S., Cutfield, W. M., O'Sullivan, J. J., & Holland, D. (2016). The new era of treatment for obesity and metabolic disorders: Evidence and expectations for gut microbiome transplantation. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 6(15). https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2016.00015
Leong, K., Derraik, J., Hofman, P., & Cutfield, W. (2018). Antibiotics, gut microbiome and obesity. Clinical Endocrinology, 88(2), 185-200. https://doi.org/10.1111/cen.13495
Leong, K., Jayasinghe, T., Derraik, J., Albert, B., Chiavaroli, V., Svirskis, D., . . . Cutfield, W. (2019). Protocol for the Gut Bugs Trial: A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial of gut microbiome transfer for the treatment of obesity in adolescents. BMJ Open, 9(4), E026174. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026174
Ministry of Education. (n.d.). Introducing five science capabilities. Retrieved from https://scienceonline.tki.org.nz/Science-capabilities-for-citizenship/Introducing-five-science-capabilities
Ridaura, V., Faith, J., Rey, F., Cheng, J., Duncan, A., Kau, A., . . . Gordon, J. I. (2013). Gut microbiota from twins discordant for obesity modulate metabolism in mice. Science, 341(6150), 1241214.. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1241214
The University of Auckland. (n.d.). Dr Justin Martin O’Sullivan. Retrieved from https://unidirectory.auckland.ac.nz/profile/justin-osullivan
The University of Auckland. (n.d.). Gut Bugs Trial launches in Auckland. Retrieved from https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/about/news-events-and-notices/news/news-2017/03/gut-bugs-trial-launches-in-auckland.html
The University of Auckland. (n.d.). Professor Wayne Stephen Cutfield. Retrieved from https://unidirectory.auckland.ac.nz/profile/w-cutfield
