Rate My Professor Debra Waters

Professor Debra Waters serves as Professor in the School of Physiotherapy and Director of Gerontology Research at the University of Otago, within the Division of Health Sciences. She holds a BSc and PhD, with her academic journey sparked by an undergraduate course in exercise physiology. She pursued graduate studies in New Mexico, where she directed the New Mexico Aging Study, focusing on ageing-related research. Joining the University of Otago, she was promoted to Professor in 2019. Waters founded the Collaboration of Ageing Research Excellence (CARE), growing it from 25 to 60 researchers and establishing international connections. She directed the Ageing Well National Science Challenge, led the Otago Falls Network (Tū Ora), and holds positions as Vice-President of the New Zealand Association of Gerontology and Editor-in-Chief of the Australasian Journal on Ageing. She also serves as a part-time Research Professor at the University of New Mexico and maintains adjunct faculty status there.

Her research centers on body composition and physical function during ageing, including determinants and prevalence of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity, their impact on physical function, and community-based exercise interventions to maintain function in older adults. Notable contributions include evaluating the Steady As You Go (SAYGo) peer-led falls prevention programme, adapted as Taurite Tū for Māori aged 50+, rolled out nationally, and leading the Invercargill site for the SUPER study on frailty prevention. Key publications encompass 'International exercise recommendations in older adults (ICFSR): expert consensus guidelines' (2021, The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging), 'International clinical practice guidelines for sarcopenia (ICFSR): screening, diagnosis and management' (2018, The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging), 'Sarcopenic obesity predicts instrumental activities of daily living disability in the elderly' (2004, Obesity Research), 'Exercise interventions to improve physical frailty and physical frailty components in older adults with hypertension: A systematic review' (2025, Ageing Research Reviews), and '24-h movement patterns: Sleep, sedentary behaviour and physical activity of older retired Olympic and Commonwealth Games athletes' (2025, Australasian Journal on Ageing). Her internationally collaborative work has influenced WHO Integrated Care for Older People guidelines and secured NIH funding for Indigenous community studies, enhancing falls risk reduction and social connectivity.