Dr Sarah Hancock

Sarah Hancock has a PhD in public health nutrition with a focus on the role of nutrition in oral health and general health. She is an advocate for dietary lifestyles incorporating eating patterns that minimise the intake of highly refined, ultra-processed foods for the prevention of chronic diet-related disease.

Her thesis investigated dental caries disease burdens in New Zealand children, and separate dietary factors associated with harm, and benefit for oral and general health. Dr Hancock designed novel strategies to compare the health and nutrition knowledge of children, parents, and health professionals for oral health. In addition, she conducted research investigating the barriers families experience in eating for optimal health, and barriers health professionals experience in providing dietary advice in practice.