Caryn Zinn

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Senior Lecturer, Head of Research: School of Sport & Recreation, Dietitian

Phone: +64 (0) 9219999, ext 7842

Email: Caryn.zinn@aut.ac.nz

PhysicalAddress:
AUT-Millennium Campus

LinksWebpages:

Qualifications

  • PhD (AUT)
  • MHSc (AUT)
  • BSc. Hons (Dietetics) (UCT, Cape Town)
  • BSc (Physiology) (UCT, Cape Town)

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Dietitian’s Board New Zealand (Registration body). NZ Registered Dietitian
  • Dietitians New Zealand (Professional body) member
  • Editorial Board member: AOSIS Scholarly Books - Domain Health & Veterinary Sciences.
  • Editorial Board member: Journal of Insulin Resistance.

Teaching Areas

Nutrition (public health, metabolic health and sports performance).

Research Areas

Nutrition as applied to metabolic health and sports performance. 

Research Summary

Dr Zinn's research activities are centred on the development, implementation and evaluation of nutrition strategies (in particular, the low carbohydrate, healthy fat (LCHF) nutrition approach) on improving metabolic health and sports performance in a variety of settings. 

Current Research Projects

Past projects:

  • “Low carb kids”; an LCHF weight loss study in children (HRC-funded feasibility study).
  • LCHF nutrition in the NZ defence force (randomized controlled trial)
  • The effect of the ketogenic diet on sports performance in recreational athletes.
  • Impact of LCHF nutrition on body composition, strength, and sport performance in powerlifters.
  • LCHF vs usual care for weight loss in Pacific Island DHB employees
  • Nutrient analysis of LCHF diets.
  • Hyperinsulinaemia
  • Development and evaluation of LCHF nutrition resources for low socio-economic groups with type 2 diabetes.
  • Exploring the nutrition and physical activity patterns of New Zealanders.

Current projects:

  • Effect of ketogenic diets on high functioning business executives.
  • Comparing LCHF and usual care nutrition management in type 2 diabetes.
  • Exploring gestational diabetes in NZ.
  • Effect of LCHF and ketogenic diets on metabolic health outcomes; symptom differences in low carb diet initiation.
  • Effect of the built environment (including nutrition and physical activity) on children’s body size.

Future projects:

  • Exploring the LCHF nutrition approach in the dental health care setting.
  • Applying the ketogenic diet in the management of concussion and cognition.
  • Descriptive study addressing nutrient intake of existing LCHF and ketogenic diet patterns.
  • Fasting and weight loss.

Publications

PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS (last 2 years)

  1. Zinn, C., Schmiedel, O., McPhee, J., Harris, N., Williden, M., Wheldon, M., Stride, D., & Schofield, G. A 12-week, whole-food carbohydrate-restricted feasibility study in overweight children. In press: Journal of Insulin Resistance.
  2. Zinn, C., Rush, A., & Johnson, R. (2018). Assessing the nutrient intake of a low carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet: a hypothetical case study design. BMC Open,8:e018846. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018846.
  3. McPhee, J., Zinn, C., & Smith, M. (2018). Exploring the acceptability of, and adherence to a carbohydrate-restricted diet as self-reported by women aged 40-55 years. Journal of Holistic Performance | ISSN: 2463-7238.
  4. Maclaren, O., Mackay, L., Schofield, G., & Zinn, C. (2018). Novel nutrition profiling of New Zealanders’ varied eating patterns. Nutrients, 10(1), 1-30. doi:10.3390/nu10010030
  5. Zinn, C., Wood, M., Williden, M., Chatterton, S., & Maunder, E. (2017). Ketogenic diet benefits body composition and well-being but not performance in a pilot case study of New Zealand endurance athletes. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1). doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0180-0.
  6. Zinn, C., McPhee, J., Harris, N., Williden, M., Prendergast, K., & Schofield, G. (2017). A 12-week low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet improves metabolic health outcomes over a control diet in a randomised controlled trial with overweight defence force personnel. Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism, 1-7. doi:10.1139/apnm-2017-0260.
  7. Sundborn, G., Thornley, S., Malcolm, J., Zinn, C., Lang, B., & Johnson, R. (2017). New Zealand infants weaned onto a high sugar diet from four months old: better health or better business? Part II. The New Zealand Medical Journal, 130(1457): 86-88.
  8. Henderson, G., Zinn, C., & Schofield, G. Dietary Guidelines Not Beyond Criticism. (2017). The Lancet. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30278-7
  9. Chatterton, S., Zinn, C., Helms, E., & Storey, A. (2017). The effect of an 8-week low carbohydrate high fat (LCHF) diet in sub-elite Olympic weightlifters and powerlifters on strength, body composition, mental state and adherence: a pilot case-study. Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning. 25(2): 6-13.
  10. Wormgoor, SG., Dalleck, LC., Zinn, C., & Harris, NK. (2017). Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training on People Living With Type 2 Diabetes: A Narrative Review. Canadian Journal of Diabetes. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjd.2016.12.004
  11. Crofts, C., Wheldon, M., Zinn, C., Lan-Pidhainy, X., Wolever, T., & Schofield, G. (2017). Assessing the test–retest repeatability of insulin resistance measures: Homeostasis model assessment 2 and oral glucose insulin sensitivity. Journal of Insulin Resistance, 2(1). doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/jir.v2i1.27
  12. Crofts, C., Schofield, G. M., Zinn, C., Wheldon, M., & Kraft. J. (2016). Identifying hyperinsulinaemia in the absence of impaired glucose tolerance: An examination of the Kraft database. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 118,50-57. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2016.06.007
  13. Crofts, C., Zinn, C., Wheldon, M. & Schofield, G. M. (2016). Hyperinsulinemia: Best management practice. Diabesity, 2(1),1-1110), 1230-1238. doi:10.15562/diabesity.2016.21
  14. Crofts, C., Zinn, C., Wheldon, M. & Schofield, G. M. (2016). Hyperinsulinemia: A unifying theory of chronic disease? Diabesity, 1(4),34-43. doi: 10.15562/diabesity.2015.19

BOOKS

  1. Schofield, G., Zinn, C & Rodger, C. What The Fat? Fat’s In, Sugar’s Out. June 2015. The Real Food Publishing Company, Auckland.
  2. Schofield, G., Zinn, C & Rodger, C. What The Fat? Sports Performance. June 2016. The Real Food Publishing Company, Auckland.
  3. Schofield, G., Zinn, C & Rodger, C. What The Fast? May 2018. Blackwell & Ruth, Auckland.
  4. Various Authors. Diabetes Unpacked. 2017. Columbus Publishing Ltd. UK.