The Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association has formed an expert panel to give diabetes patients helpful advice about issues concerning exercise and dietary plans.

Our expert panel is made up of the following members -

Ingrid Perols NZ Reg. Dietitian, MSc (Hons), Accredited sports nutritionist (SESNZ)

Ingrid has a strong interest in sports nutrition as well as clinical dietetics. After qualifying as a dietitian in 1984 she has worked with clinical and community dietetics, nutrition education and sports nutrition. Ingrid has lectured in nutrition at both undergraduate and postgraduate level and most recently worked as clinical tutor for the post-graduate student dietitians who train at Waikato Hospital.

As a keen sportsperson Ingrid specialises in sports nutrition and is a nutrition provider to the NZ Academy of Sport carded athletes. She is currently lead nutritionist for the BikeNZ. She also works part time as clinical dietitian at Waikato hospital and runs a private practice working with all aspects of clinical dietetics and nutrition for health and physical activity.

Over the last few years Ingrid has presented on the topic of diabetes and exercise at seminars for health professionals in New Zealand.

Her sporting interests are orienteering and cycling and she has represented New Zealand in orienteering.

Dr. David Gerrard Assoc. Prof. Sports Medicine, Assoc. Dean - Dunedin School of Medicine. DESA NZ Patron.

Dr. David Gerrard is one of New Zealand's leading sports authorities with a wealth of knowledge and experience in sports medicine.

He started his career as a champion butterfly swimmer, competing at the 1962 Commonwealth Games, the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the 1966 Commonwealth Games. Throughout his swimming career, David won the 200m butterfly title ten times and took away the 100m butterfly title six times.

David was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1991 for his achievements both in and out of the pool, and as an Olympic Team Physician. David later took on the role as the Chef de Mission of the New Zealand 1996 Atlanta Olympic swimming team.

David is now the Associate Professor of Sports Medicine and Associate Dean of the Dunedin School of Medicine. He currently chairs the Drug Free Sport New Zealand Committee and is a Member of the Board of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Throughout his career David has written over 70 papers, authored a book, and written many articles on clinical sports medicine. It is these achievements that saw David awarded the OBE for services to medicine and sport.

As Patron of the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association, Dr. David Gerrard’s wealth of knowledge and experience will prove invaluable.

Mark Leydon MSc (Dist) BCApSc - Cert in sports Nutrition (AIS) NZRD

Mark works as a Dietitian for the Waikato Regional Diabetes Service and has done so for the last 7 years. Prior to this he worked part-time at WINTEC where he taught Sports Nutrition. For a period of time he was Sports Dietitian for Rowing NZ and this included working with the rowing squads for the 2000 Olympics.

His main interest is working with individuals who have Type 1 diabetes, who exercise and who wish to improve their performance with optimal blood glucose control.

Mark's own sporting interests include road cycling and Tai Chi. The later he has done for a number of years. This year he completed K2 (200 km around Coromandel) for the first time and it was certainly the most difficult riding event that he has ever entered! However he is planning to do it again in 2007 and hopes to improve on his time.

Damian Wiseman MPhEd, BPhEd, BSc, PG Dip Sports Med (Otago)

Damian is currently working as an exercise specialist based from his own gym in Auckland, after finishing his studies at Otago University.

During his university career Damian completed bachelors degrees in Physical Education, Science, a Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Medicine and most recently a Masters in Physical Education.

Damian’s masters work looked into aspects of diet and exercise in people with type 1 diabetes. Damian has a particular interest in sport and exercise and has been a competitive cyclist for over 16 years.

Craig Palmer MPhEd, BPhEd (Hons), ATFCA - LII

Craig is a Lecturer with the School of Physical Education at the University of Otago and Sport Science Consultant to the New Zealand Academy of Sport.

Craig has research interests in thermal physiology, energy system interaction during continuous endurance events, and resistance training for middle distance events.

Along with his academic fields of interest, Craig was also a competitive middle distance runner in a former life but now prefers coaching a squad of talented runners and cyclists.

More recently he was awarded a Prime Ministers Scholarship for elite coach development. This has enabled Craig to observe elite coaches around the world. Whilst also providing Sport Science support to the New Zealand Olympic Track and Field Team and the New Zealand World Mountain Running Team.

Craig is currently working towards a PhD in Exercise Physiology at the University of Otago where he is examining energy system interaction during high intensity short duration endurance exercise.