"Our research is to explore whether a local community initiative such as Patu Aotearoa can be used to facilitate human behaviour changes that result in positive pet welfare outcomes."
The research strategy and results were presented at the Companion Animal Conference held in Auckland in September.
Titled Human Behaviour Change For Animals, it was attended by veterinarians and other animals health academics and professionals from around the world.
Patu Aotearoa, created in Hawke's Bay by Levi Armstrong, runs a gym nationwide that combines group exercise and healthy lifestyle education with te teo me ōna tikanga Māori (Māori language and culture).
The philosophy around Patu Aotearoa is whanaungatanga, or connectedness, rather than 'members'.
Being more active and eating nutritionally for better wellbeing was the emphasis with weight loss and fitness a secondary benefit.
The EIT team decided to extend its research from the whānau - and provided data to help meet funder expectations - to animals.
"The whānau are very supportive of our research and are quite comfortable with our work now, so it wasn't a big stretch to include their pets into the regular Patu weigh-ins.
"It allowed us to reach local community pets that may not always have the opportunity to be regularly seen by animal health professionals."
Forrest said the initiative also provided EIT students valuable opportunities to practise their skills and connect with the local community.
EIT veterinary nursing staff and students carried out the pet checks and during the same sessions, EIT Bachelor of Recreation and Sport and Bachelor of Nursing staff helped with human weigh-in and data collection.
"It's awesome that our undergraduate students volunteer to give back to the local community and are also contributing to valuable community research.
"Several of the students are also Patu members so they got to showcase their skills and role model for the younger members."
