Manny Noakes

Manny Noakes

Dr Manny Noakes: champion of health and wellbeing Dr Noakes is leader of the research team that developed the Total Wellbeing Diet, recently published as a book by Penguin. * The Total Wellbeing Diet Dr Noakes is a Senior Research Dietitian at CSIRO Human Nutrician in Adelaide, South Australia, where she leads the Clinical Research Unit. Her involvement in this increasingly significant field begain as one of the first graduates in dietetics at Flinders University, South Australia. Dr Noakes then worked as a clinical dietician at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Flinders Medical Centre. In the late 1980s Dr Noakes took on the role of divisional dietician at the National Heart Foundation, where she was active in the influential 'Tick for heart health' campaign. She also embarked on a PhD from Flinders University of South Australia, looking at the effects of different fats on cholesterol metabolism. She is particularly interested in diet composition and weight loss, and how weight loss diets may affect cardiovascular risk. Dr Noakes joined CSIRO in 1991 and is a key member of CSIRO's research team looking at diet, nutrition and health. The Total Wellbeing Diet CSIRO has a long standing reputation for being an authority on a range of health, food and dietary matters. A couple of years ago when a spate of new diets was gaining large coverage, Dr Peter Clifton, the Director of the Clinical Research Unit, received numerous enquiries from dieticians who were concerned that high protein diets were being promoted, though evidence seemed scant. Dr Noakes and her team embarked on a major study to see if there was anything in the anecdotal reports. The results clearly showed health benefits and significant weight loss from a diet higher in proteins and low in fats and the Total Wellbeing Diet was born. Consumer interest in a diet predicated on good science, was enthusiastic. Part of its success is due to the fact that it emphasises healthy, balanced eating patterns and provides enough food to make dieters feel full. In 2004, after steady demand for more information and recipes, Dr Noakes and Dr Clifton decided to develop the diet further and got together with Penguin to produce The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet book. The research for Dr Noakes and her team, however, continues. A new study begins soon with male volunteers testing out the high protein - low fat diet. While they are pleased with the results so far, there is still much work to be done for the total wellbeing of Australians. Dr Noakes is quick to point out that there is no magical solution to the trend toward obesity. Some reliable and relatively simple ways to maintain the best possible health include: * eat a variety of foods and especially lots of fruit and vegetables * make time for moderate and appropriate levels of exercise.