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The 14th Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Series: ‘Diabetes Asia 2015’ Conference was held on 6 to 9 August 2015 at Hotel Istana, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and attracted doctors, nurses, dietitians and researchers from Asia, Australia, US, UK and South Africa. The conference covered a variety of topics including pre-diabetics, new advances in pharmaceutical and complementary treatments of diabetes, self-management in diabetes, nutrition and diabetes, diabetes complications, and diabetes in different populations including children, pregnant women and the elderly. Keynote speakers for the event included Professor Harold E. Lebovitz from theRead more

The NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health warmly congratulates Professor David Koh on being conferred the title of Distinguished Professor at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam. Prof Koh was conferred the title by His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei for his academic achievements and contributions as a faculty member of the Universiti. In addition, Prof Koh currently serves as Assistant Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research and Innovation) at the Universiti. We, at the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, heartily congratulate Prof Koh on the conferment of this prestigious achievement and wishRead more

It was a jubilant and memorable occasion for the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (SSHSPH) Class of 2015 as they marked a significant milestone in both their lives and public health journeys at the SSHSPH Commencement Ceremony on 12 July 2015. Held at the University Cultural Centre, this year the School saw 33 Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Science (MSc) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) graduates. Jointly hosted with the Faculty of Dentistry with participation from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine graduate programme,Read more

Frontiers of Behavioural Economics – Choice and Well-being in the Asia Pacific, a behavioural economics conference organised by the Civil Service College (CSC), National University of Singapore (NUS) and the University of Southern California (USC), was held on 25 and 26 June 2015 at Raffles City Convention Centre. Frontiers drew more than 200 participants, bringing together leading international thinkers in the behavioural economics field, policymakers, private firms in the health and finance fields, and non-profits, to address behavioual economics in finance, health and lifestyle with a focus on the Asia PacificRead more

Patients recovering from stroke and various disabling conditions can now recover from their homes, with a tele-rehabilitation system which allows them to perform rehabilitation exercises and receive therapist supervision remotely. The system is currently part of a trial at the National University of Singapore. The tele-rehabilitation system will ease the stroke recovery process by allowing patients to overcome the numerous barriers faced in post-stroke rehabilitation. “With tele-rehab, patients do not need to face physical barriers, their caregivers do not need to accompany them to the rehabilitation centre and their therapistsRead more

Many research studies have shown that spending time outdoors leads to reducing the risk of myopia in children, and despite Singapore having one of the highest myopia rates in the world, spending time outdoors still seems like an uphill task for many Singaporean children and their families. A study conducted by the National University of Singapore and Singapore Eye Research Institute assigned 285 Singaporean children to either continue with their usual weekend activity or go for a structured outdoor programme. Prof Saw Seang Mei from the Saw Swee Hock School ofRead more

At 13.3%, Singapore has one of the lowest adult smoking rates in the world, thanks to forty years of tobacco control measures. But Singapore still needs to keep up the vigilance on tobacco control measures despite these low rates, says A/Prof Joanne Yoong from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. From the social cost and healthcare savings from smoking to the introduction of new tobacco products which are less well-regulated, our preventive efforts and policy responses need to constantly adapt to curb tobacco use. A/Prof Yoong also points outRead more

The NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health congratulates A/Prof Teo Yik Ying on being conferred the Honoree award for the Singapore Chapter of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons Of The World (TYOP). A/Prof Teo, the School’s Vice Dean (Research), was conferred the award in the category of Academic Leadership and/or Accomplishments. The TOYP is awarded annually by the Junior Chamber International (JCI) and recognises young people who excel in their chosen fields and exemplify the best attributes of the world’s young people. This year’s award was presented on 29 MayRead more

The NUS Saw Swee Hock congratulates Prof Saw Seang Mei and A/Prof Teo Yik Ying, recipients of the NUHS-Mochtar Riady Pinnacle Awards 2015! Prof Saw and A/Prof Teo received their awards at the NUHS Tribute Night held on 22 May 2015. Prof Saw was awarded this year’s NUHS Mochtar Riady Pinnacle Excellence Award which recognises individuals who have contributed significantly towards NUHS’ clinical, research and education missions. Their contributions have major impact and robust outcomes, leading to improved standards of care, outstanding health resources and/or exceptional medical education, paving the way forward towards better healthcareRead more

Greenery and parks have certainly contributed to Singapore’s ‘Garden City’ image, but apart from beautifying our city state, just how do our green spaces benefit us? The National Parks Board (NParks) will be embarking on two studies to quantify the benefits of green spaces. One of these is a study on the benefits of physical activity in parks, which wil be led by Dr Falk Mueller-Riemenschneider from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. The study is currently in the stages conducting questionnaires and focus group discussions to identify strategies that willRead more

Coffee is undoubtedly one of the world’s most globalised beverages. From Burundi to Colombia, the coffee industry is changing for growers, sellers and consumers all over the world. And coffee culture is fast-growing in India, becoming a drink of choice for the younger aspirational class. But with a huge increase in coffee consumption around the world, just how much coffee is too much? Associate Professor Rob van Dam from the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health has conducted several studies on coffee consumption and breaks down the conflicting dietary adviceRead more

Contrary to the popular belief that gout sufferers should avoid soy and legume products as they are rich in purine, a recent study has found that soy products do not increase the risk of gout, and that those who already have the condition and continue consuming them. Purine-rich foods such as shellfish and meat cause higher levels of uric acid in blood, and may cause sodium urate crystals forming in the joints, causing aches and pains. However, soy does not appear to have the same effect despite being high inRead more