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Pacific New Zealanders battle against obesity
Pacific New Zealanders battle against obesity
Food is central to all Pacific cultures which is why Diabetes New Zealand is concerned about the findings of the Obesity Action Coalition report: Food Security for Pacific Peoples in New Zealand.
The report says that only 46.6% of Pacific households with children stated that they could always afford to eat properly, compared to 86.1% of NZEO households.
Diabetes New Zealand president Mike Smith says “that in the face of these alarming statistics, actions must be taken to prevent the onslaught of diabetes in the Pacific Island Community.”
Lesieli O’Brien, diabetes nurse for Diabetes New Zealand Pacific Wellington, has had success with the Wellington Pacific community, in advising and talking to the community to see how she can make their lives longer, and improve their health, than it would otherwise be.
“Food is central to all Pacific cultures. It is the culture and without the food there is no social involvement”, she says. “My message is ‘cut down the fat and the sugar content in the food’, but put in a way that people can accept it.”
The report says that Pacific people are two and a half times more likely to be obese than the general population. Obesity often leads to Type 2 diabetes, and with obesity numbers rising along with the numbers developing Type 2 diabetes in the Pacific community.
Diabetes New Zealand and Diabetes New Zealand Pacific advocate portion control, the healthy plate, with half in vegetables, as a key to success.
Published on this website on Fri, 27 Mar 2009