Rate My Professor Lara Ware

Lara Ware is a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Human Nutrition within the Division of Sciences at the University of Otago. Holding an MSc, she previously served as a Research Fellow in the same department. Her academic interests encompass public health nutrition, food literacy, and the health impacts of dietary interventions, with a particular emphasis on nut consumption and snack foods. Ware teaches HUNT343: Community and Public Health Nutrition, a course organized into three modules covering principles of public health nutrition in New Zealand, nutrition policy and food environments, community nutrition intervention management, and future directions including food system approaches. The paper develops skills in evidence assessment, communication, advocacy, needs assessment, and teamwork to address health equity through nutrition policies and programmes.

Ware has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications contributing to nutritional science. Key works include 'Snacking on Almonds Lowers Glycaemia and Energy Intake Compared to a Popular High-Carbohydrate Snack Food: An Acute Randomised Crossover Study' (2021, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health), which showed almonds reduce postprandial glycaemia and energy intake. 'Is a Handful an Effective Way to Guide Nut Recommendations?' (2021, same journal) assessed handful portions for nut intake guidance. 'Effects of Hazelnut Consumption on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Acceptance: A Systematic Review' (2022, same journal) reviewed hazelnut benefits. 'Comparing the Effects of Consuming Almonds or Biscuits on Body Weight in Habitual Snackers: A One-Year Randomized Controlled Trial' (2023, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) examined long-term effects on body weight. Additional contributions are 'Designing Video Games for Nutrition Education' (2021, Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior), 'Dynamic Gastrointestinal Digestion of Bovine, Caprine and Ovine Milk in an Advanced Model' (2024, Foods), 'Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial Investigating the Effects of the Daily Consumption of Capsicum annuum Fruit on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors' (2024, Nutrients), and 'Impact of mānuka honey on symptoms and quality of life in individuals with functional dyspepsia: a feasibility study protocol' (2025). She has also collaborated on food literacy surveys among New Zealand children and the OPTIMISE study on diabetes management.