A Better Start: E Tipu e Rea
National Science Challenge 2016 - 2024
Better science together for a better start in life
Every child should have the best possible start in life.
A Better Start was one of 11 National Science Challenges that ran from 2014 to August 2024.
researchers created tools and methods to predict, prevent and intervene early on three key pillars, healthy weight, learning and mental health. with the with the goal that children have a healthy weight, are successful learners and they can access the tools they need to look after their mental health.
A Better Start is the National Science Challenge aimed to find practical, evidence-based solutions to make a measurable and impactful difference in the lives of our tamariki and rangatahi.
A Better Start article published: supporting the future wellbeing of our tamariki E tipu, e rea, mō ngā rā o tō ao: grow tender shoot for the days destined for you
CLICK HERE to read more and see the authors of the article
The individual article has been formally published online, the Special Issue: The current and future state of child health and wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand: Part 2 is yet to be published.
ABSTRACT: The majority of children and young people in Aotearoa New Zealand experience good health and wellbeing, but there are key areas where they compare unfavourably to those in other rich countries. However, current measures of wellbeing are critically limited in their suitability to reflect the dynamic, culture-bound, and subjective nature of the concept of ‘wellbeing’. In particular, there is a lack of measurement in primary school-aged children and in ways that incorporate Māori perspectives on wellbeing. A Better Start National Science Challenge work in the areas of Big Data, Healthy Weight, Resilient Teens, and Successful learning demonstrates how research is increasing our understanding of, and our ability to enhance, wellbeing for NZ children. As we look ahead to the future, opportunities to support the wellbeing of NZ young people will be shaped by how we embrace and mitigate against potential harms of new technologies, and our ability to respond to new challenges that arise due to climate change. In order to avoid increasing inequity in who experiences wellbeing in NZ, wellbeing must be monitored in ways that are culturally acceptable, universal, and recognise what makes children flourish.
About
The Science
Collaborative research and science excellence. Learn about our key research themes: Healthy Weight, Resilient Teens, Successful Learning, which is all underpined by Big Data.
News
Updates and events from A Better Start:
E Tipu e Rea
News and Events
Researchers find good sleep important for healthy weight in children
Two Challenge researchers Rachael Taylor and Barry Taylor are part of a team that has found a sleep intervention in infancy reduced the risk of obesity for those children later in life. Professor Rachael Taylor, Director of the Edgar Diabetes and Obesity...
Challenges release more seats following high interest in life course conference
The Hon Dr Megan Woods, the Minister for Research, Science and Innovation will open He Ora te Whakapiri: Unleashing the potential of New Zealand’s life course research conference at Te Papa Tongarewa on 18 October this year. Hosted by the three health and wellbeing...
He waka eke noa Better Together Conference
A Better Start hosted a successful conference on the 16th March. To learn more about the conference, watch the speeches, and read about the research currently being undertaken, visit our conference page:...
Challenge research at Parliamentary showcase
A Challenge-funded research project to develop a gamified e-health tool to help teens experiencing anxiety, stress and depression, was selected for a showcase of the country’s best public sector digital technologies hosted at the Beehive on 21 February.
Challenge researcher awarded travel fellowship to China
Dr José Derraik of the Liggins Institute at the University of Auckland has been awarded the NZ-China Non-Communicable Diseases Research Collaboration Centre emerging researcher travel fellowship.
New Zealand 4-year-olds buck obesity trend
New Zealand’s four-year-olds are resisting the tide towards rising obesity, according to research funded by A Better Start, one of the country’s national science challenges.
From the Director
A Better Start: E Tipu e Rea has more than 160 researchers delivering excellent science to give our tamariki a better start in life. They come from many different disciplines and organisations, but are united in their commitment. Our researchers share a collaborative approach and through the He Awa Whiria (braided rivers) model weave together knowledge from differing sources that flow together to progress the wellbeing of tamariki.
Ngā mihi,
Professor Wayne Cutfield
Challenge Director
The meaning behind, E Tipu e Rea – Grow Tender Shoot
E tipu, e rea, mō ngā rā o tō ao: grow tender shoot for the days destined for you
E Tipu e Rea is A Better Start’s Māori name.
In 1949, shortly before his death, Māori leader and scholar Sir Āpirana Turupa Ngata of Ngāti Porou wrote into the autograph book of schoolgirl Rangi Bennett a passage about his vision for Māori youth.
E tipu e rea mō ngā rā o tō ao
Ko tō ringa ki ngā rākau a te Pākehā
Hei ora mō te tinana
Ko tō ngākau ki ngā tāonga a ō tīpuna Māori
Hei tikitiki mō tō māhuna
Ko tō wairua ki tō atua
Nānā nei ngā mea katoa.
Grow and branch forth for the days destined to you
Your hands to the tools of the Pākehā
For the welfare of your body
Your heart to the treasures of your ancestors
adornments for your brow
Your spirit to god
Who made all things.