Our collective loss of contact with biodiverse environments is creating a range of health issues and new diseases that were not present a century ago, according to a top health expert from the University of South Australia.

The University's Professor Philip Weinstein will warn against the risks of urbanisation and increased sterile environments play in upsetting natural biodiverse ecosystems in  a forthcoming Knowledge Works lecture.

"We evolved in an environment more closely linked with nature, depending on it for food, fibre, fuel and shelter, so we learnt to live and interact with the natural environment in ways which we no longer do,” says Prof Weinstein.

“There are ill-effects which result from that. The move from a hunter gather lifestyle to a more sedentary existence where you can pick up your dinner from a supermarket shelf has created obesity problems.

“One school of thought is that living in urbanised, sterile environments means we are less exposed to allergens and bacteria – which previously kept our immune systems busy.

“As the immune systems of people get bored they over-react to the slightest trigger which may be why we have so many allergies in the community now.”

Registrations for the lecture can be made online here