Why has obesity become an epidemic in New Zealand

Why has obesity become an epidemic in New Zealand?

Dehghan, Akhtar-Danesh & Merchant (2005) describe the cause of obesity as “energy intake exceeding energy expenditure”.  However factors such as genetics, environment, lifestyle, and culture also contribute to the growing prevalence of obesity (p.3).  The Waikato District Health Board (2011) has described the three main causes of obesity as:

• Human biology: an individuals own genetics and metabolic rate have an effect on their weight
• Eating behaviour: what an individual eats and how much
• Physical activity: how much activity an individual undertakes

The Waikato District Health Board (2011) does go on to admit however that due to the “growing prevalence of obesity it is unlikely that genetics is the main cause of the epidemic” (p.4) and that eating behaviours are the main contributing factors to the obesity epidemic (Ministry of health, 2004; Waikato District Health Board, 2011; Dehghan, Akhtar-Danash, Merchant, 2005; Berk, 2010). 

The term eating behaviours includes food choices, portion sizes, frequency of eating and fad dieting and breakfast skipping (Ma, Bertone, stanek, Reed, Herbert, Cohen, Merrriam & Ockene, 2003). There are a number of influences on individuals/families food choices, one of which is the increasing availability and affordability of convenience foods. These types of foods include takeaways, pre-packaged and heat and eat meals which are commonly high in sodium, sugar, and saturated fats; energy dense foods with little to no nutritional value (Ministry of Health, 2013). These foods however unhealthy are being consumed on a regular basis by many New Zealander's.  

One of the main causes for the growing consumption of convenience food is the expense of fresh foods (a head of brocoli at New World supermarket on the 29th of April is $2.49 while a large pizza at Domino's on the same day is $4.99). A lack of disposable income has become more and more common in New Zealand since the beginning of the recession in 2008 (Ministry of business, innovation and employment (2010) (see video)

As obesity occurs through high energy intake and low energy expenditure, food choices alone cannot be blamed for the increase of obesity in New Zealand.  The Ministry of Health (2013) shows through their 2006/2007 New Zealand health survey that one in ten adults are physically active for less than thirty minutes each week, and only eleven percent of adolescents surveyed met the recommended level of daily physical activity. To maintain a healthy weight, heart, to build muscular fitness and bone health the World Health Organisation (2013) recommends children between the ages of five to seventeen participate in sixty minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily, while adults are recommended to participate in one hundred and fifty minutes of physical activity per week.  

When you consider this documented lack of activity by adults and children in combination with eating large quantities of energy dense, nutrient poor food both world wide (World Health Organisation, 2013) and throughout New Zealand (Ministry of Health, 2013) is it any wonder obesity is such a threat to the health of New Zealanders?  
         

  

      

  

Obesity - A global epidemic

What does this mean?

McGraw-Hill (2005) define a global epidemic as "problems that are geographically wide spread" (para 2) and fast spreading.  Obesity is defined by World Health Organisation (2000) being "a condition of abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in the adipose tissue (connective tissue consisting of mainly fat cells) to the extent that health maybe impaired" (para 1).

With these definitions in mind it is possible to explore the negative implications for both the obese individuals and collective society. 

I have found it easy to see the words 'global obesity epidemic' and not be concerned.  New Zealand has a small population of approximately 4.5 million people.  We are a country that prides itself on sporting ability and achievement, a country of farmers and a country with a beautiful outdoor environment with a wide range of action and adventure activities.  How could we really have an obesity problem?

Reading the statistics compiled by the Ministry of Health in 2006/07 and 2008/09 looking at adult and child obesity in New Zealand opens a completely different view into the life styles, genetics and health of some New Zealanders.  In the 2008/09 adult nutrition survey one in four adults or 27.8% were obese, 44.7% of Maori adults were obese and 57.9% of Pacific adults were obese.  Child obesity statistics are just as appalling with one in twelve children (8.3%) aged between 2 to 14 years recorded as being obese, in addition to this one in five children (20.9%) were overweight.  Pacific boys and girls were recorded as being 2.5 times more likely to be obese than boys and girls in the total population, along with Maori boys and girls were 1.5 times more likely to be obese (Ministry of Health, 2013).

Where to from here? These statistics bring to light a number of questions. What initiatives are the government putting into place to address this issue? How do these statistics influence and impact on the children's health, learning and development? What can we as a society, as families and as individuals do to recognise and change these staggering statistics?