Translating science into digestible bites

My first radio interview was on Curtin University radio as part of one of the undergraduate nutrition courses on health promotion. In regional NSW, dietitians were sought by the local media for newspaper stories and I happily assisted.

Dr Alan Barclay presents a range of carbohydrate food choices on Channel 7's Sunrise programme

When I moved to Sydney, I started writing short articles for local newspapers about topical issues. When I moved to Diabetes Australia (NSW), I was suddenly thrown in to the limelight during National Diabetes Week (each July in Australia), where I did a range of print, radio and TV interviews.

In 2004, I applied to be a media spokesperson for the Dietitians Australia (DA) and was accepted, and have been one ever since. DA provided media training in the early years.

In 2007, my wife recommended that I do the Presenting to Camera course at the National Institute of Dramatic Art to hone my skills.

It was a bit like toast masters – but in front of a camera. I learned a lot and it gave me plenty of practice.

I enjoy translating nutrition science into digestible bites for the media. Here are a few recent examples:

Podcasts
Two Doctors – Lifestyle in health and disease Dr Alan Barclay and Dr Vivienne Miller discuss overweight and obesity
Print
Do eggs deserve their bad rap?
Hero carbs: the ‘superfoods’ that don’t break the bank
Living with diabetes? It’s time to throw this book at it
Radio
What steps can you take to prevent type 2 diabetes?
The good carbs cookbook
Turning back the tide on diabetes.
Video
Nutrition and Diabetes: facts and fallacies – “artificial sweeteners”
Can you reverse type 2 diabetes?
Nutritional management of type 2 diabetes
Online
Coffee helps heart health? It’s more complicated than that
4 diabetes myths busted
What does it mean to lose ‘water weight’?

Check out all the science from my blog More carrot, less stick here.