Keri's Couch: Unlocking women in science with Prof Suna Kassier

A woman who has always been hungry for facts and success in the science field, Prof Suna Kassier from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, graced Keri's Couch.

As the Academic Leader of Teaching and Learning in the School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences and Associate Professor of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, she is an expert in the field of public health, where she focuses on infant and young child nutrition, obesity, body image, and food security.

READ: Keri's Couch: A 16-year-old who is smashing gender binary barriers

Passionate about empowering people who have body issues, Prof Kassier highlights that the media has led to a large number of insecurities, which she says not only affect one's physical health but their emotional well-being too.

According to the Professor, culture and science also clash where weight and body type are concerned. She further spoke about the effects of food insecurity in South Africa, which has influenced the low-birthweight in babies.

READ: Women Unlocked: Brownie queen Wajiha Chohan

"A lot of people perceive extra body weight as being associated with maybe eating too much and exercising too little, but it's actually a lot more complicated than that because the low-birthweight infants that we were referring to are very often related to the fact that while the mother is pregnant that fetus is actually being programmed to hold onto nutrition once that infant is born," Prof Kassier explains.

Listen to the full interview below:

READ: #WomenUnlocked with award-winning TV host Ayanda Thabethe

IMAGE CREDIT: wwis.ukzn.ac.za

Catch up with moments from the latest edition of Darren, Keri, and Sky below: