Celebrating Excellence: Andrew Reynolds Receives Rowheath Trust Award and Carl Smith Medal for Research Impact
Associate Professor Andrew Reynolds from the Department of Medicine at Ōtākou Whaikahu Waka | University of Otago, whose contribution to human nutrition and public health is globally recognised, has been awarded the Rowheath Trust Award and Carl Smith Medal.
The Rowheath Trust Award and Carl Smith Medal is one of the University of Otago's highest research honours, and is awarded annually to recognise the outstanding research performance of early-career staff. Reynolds said he has been lucky to work with people who genuinely support each other, and this award reflects his team.
"It's a really lovely acknowledgment to the tribe of people supporting me and working with me over the last nine years. Research is never done in isolation: I have mentors, I have colleagues, I have advisors, I have students, and I have staff."
One of Reynolds' most impactful recent contributions is the Te Kāika DiRECT trial, which exemplifies the kind of community-focused research that earned him this recognition. Co-funded by Pūtahi Manawa, Ministry of Social Development, and the National Science Challenge, the study was highlighted at an indigenous heart health conference in Sydney earlier this year.
Te Kāika DiRECT: Local Innovation in Diabetes and Obesity Care Shows Promising Results
The critical new study led by Te Kāika Health and Associate Professor Reynolds has shown that locals in Ōtepoti, Dunedin, have embraced a primary care-led weight management programme that has had success internationally. The programme dramatically improves outcomes for people living with type 2 diabetes and obesity.
"This is more than a diet – it's about changing lives," said Reynolds. "What's special about Te Kāika DiRECT is that it's rooted in primary care and driven by community needs. It shows what's possible when whānau, clinicians, and researchers work together."
The pilot programme, Te Kāika DiRECT, trialled a structured weight loss approach already successful in the UK to determine its acceptability and effectiveness in Aotearoa. The initiative was born from the voices of Te Kāika patients, many of whom were seeking better ways to manage their weight and health, dissatisfied with existing options.
Participants in the trial — which included 40 individuals — shared overwhelmingly positive feedback. One participant noted, "You see results quickly, and those results motivate you to keep going." Another participant appreciated the focus on sustainable change: "This study's just allowed me to hone in on that long-term lifestyle change as opposed to quick fixes."
Te Kāika Health, a Māori-led health provider serving 5,200 predominantly Māori, Pacific, refugee, and low-income whānau in South Dunedin, collaborated with researchers from the University of Otago on this community-driven project. The research team, including Associate Professor Andrew Reynolds, Associate Professor Justine Camp, and Dr Kim Ma'ia'i, represented a unique partnership of Pacific, Māori, and Pākehā researchers.
Participants had significant results following a structured plan: three months of total meal replacement, followed by food reintroduction and supported weight loss maintenance. An average weight loss of 6.9kg after three months, with most of the weight still off after 12 months, far outpaced those receiving standard care, who lost just 0.8kg in three months and 2.3kg after a year.
Plans are now underway for a nationwide trial. If successful, the nationwide trial could reshape how diabetes and obesity are managed across New Zealand, offering a scalable model rooted in community care.