Well known as the physio for the Te Rarawa senior rugby team, Ahipara's Ricky Bell has secured a prestigious grant worth an estimated $137,000 over three years in order to undertake a PhD on New Zealand's obesity problem.
The local sports and manipulative physiotherapist was awarded the funding to undertake a PhD through the University of Otago, noting of the 47 PhD candidates from around New Zealand who submitted applications for funding from the many different health disciplines, his was one of only three awarded nationally.
Of Ngati Hine, Ngati Hau, Nga Puhi, Te Rarawa and Te Aupouri descent, Bell also admitted the news was a surprise as he still regarded himself as a bit of a 'bush boy'.
"I am more accustomed to fishing, diving for paua, or wearing a pair of gumboots whilst helping look after Te Rarawa RFC senior rugby players ..." he said, adding, "I used to believe these sorts of awards were normally given to flash people from down the line."
The title of his PhD thesis is Huarahi Hauora, in which he plans to explore an indigenous approach to improving the disparate health outcomes that currently exist for Maori in New Zealand, in particular focusing on the obesity pandemic.
"Obesity is one of the most important modifiable risk factors and a known precursor for a number of chronic illnesses which contribute to a lower life expectancy," said Bell, noting estimates were that over one million New Zealand adults were now classified as obese.
"This alarming trend with obesity suggests a low uptake of disease-modifying interventions and highlights that current processes, access and service delivery, and perhaps even health messages about obesity are simply ineffective."
Bell also felt his quest for funding alarmingly revealed a number of organisations were falling short of delivering in this vital area. He claimed the three foundation documents which form the basis for future health delivery in Northland - namely the Northland District Health Board (NDHB) Annual Plan 2012/2013, Northland's Maori Health Plan and Te Tai Tokerau Maori Health Strategic Plan 2008-2013 - did not identify an action plan or strategy to specifically address obesity.
"Despite numerous requests to the relevant 'chiefs' at the NDHB for bona fide support to assist in securing this funding, none was provided," he said. In turn, he praised whanau and hapu in Te Tai Tokerau for helping secure the funding.
"They had identified a clear need for practice-based evidence addressing obesity for Maori and were very forthcoming in providing tangible support to this end," he said, adding this suggested "whanau and hapu" were more in touch with what the real issues facing Maori health were, and were willing to do something about it, while the above-mentioned organisations "hadn't quite reached that level of understanding".
Still, Bell was optimistic the powers that be within the NDHB would have a change of heart, "climb on board our waka and provide some tangible, real support for this research."
Meanwhile, he noted it was a real honour to have the opportunity to bring some scarcely available research funding - made available by the University of Otago from the Department of Internal Affairs via a Lottery Health Grant - to the Far North and, with the basis of his research being done with his own people, anticipated that the protocols, research methods and findings would help guide future efforts around New Zealand.
"My father always supported and instilled in us kids the importance of education and while I ran off the rails quite a few times I guess my ears weren't always painted on."