New Zealand has the third highest adult obesity rate in the OECD. How do we tackle this crisis?

The World Health Organisation defines obesity as abnormal or excessive fat that presents a risk to a person’s health. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight. Over 30 is obese.

According to the World Obesity Federation, more than half the world's population will be classed as obese or overweight by 2035. More than four billion people will be affected, with rates rising fastest among children. 

According to the Ministry of Health New Zealand has the third-highest adult obesity rate in the OECD, with one in three adult New Zealanders (over 15 years) classified as obese. Having obesity puts children at greater risk of developing asthma, type 2 diabetes, digestive problems and joint pain, as well as depression and anxiety. Recent evidence indicates that childhood obesity-risk depends on the complex interaction of biological, developmental and socio-environmental factors, an exclusive focus on diet and exercise will do little to help.

A recent report noted that 7 out of 10 adults in the Counties Manukau catchment area are overweight or obese. The report goes on to say that there are more people with a high body mass index in Counties Manukau than any other health region in the country.

There have been calls for Pharmac to fund the drug weight loss drug liraglutide (Saxenda). It works by mimicking the effects of a hormone produced in the body when eating, stimulating the pancreas to secrete insulin and reduce blood glucose levels. Under the application Pharmac would fund it for people between 35 and 44 years with a BMI of 55 and over and for Māori and Pacific people with a BMI of 50 and over aged between 35 and 54 years.

However, getting people to change their lifestyles is key to real change. Unhealthy diets are responsible for about one fifth of all preventable ill-health and premature deaths but the recent governments have made minimal progress on implementing healthy food policies. Experts argue that in health and environmental terms, our current food systems are our greatest liability but with a concerted national effort, they could be our greatest asset. At the moment, food-related policy is characterised by fragmentation, inaction, and insufficient focus on the health, environment and equity goals that food systems can achieve.

Additionally,  informing parents and caregivers of appropriate feeding practices that support healthy growth and encourage good eating behaviours in the child should be prioritised.