Major obesity plan to be unveiled
More than 60 per cent of pregnant women gain more weight than is recommended, which has implications for a child’s weight later in life.
It’s the reason the Government will be targeting women in the perinatal stage – before and after birth – as part of a major programme to hone the growing waistlines of New Zealanders.
Health Minister Jonathan Coleman has confirmed he will announce his package – nearly a year in the making – on Monday.
‘‘Following the last election the Prime Minister decided to give me both the Health and Sport and Recreation portfolio with the expectation that I finds ways to leverage the two.
‘‘Today I will be launching my plan to reduce New Zealand’s childhood obesity rates,’’ he said.
‘‘It is a comprehensive plan with the right mix of interventions at a Government, private sector, community and family level.
It’s understood the package could involve changes to the way physical education is taught in schools, and the Health Ministry will work closely with some schools to improve dietary and exercise programmes.
A public information campaign is also expected to be unveiled at the announcement.
‘‘There is no single solution that will fix obesity. New Zealand is not unique in its battle with obesity, but from today we are now amongst the first countries in the OECD to have a plan to tackle the issue,’’ Coleman said.
New Zealand was the third fattest country in the OECD. A third of New Zealand adults were obese and a further third were overweight.
Coleman said that next year, being overweight or obese was expected to overtake tobacco as the leading preventable risk to health in New Zealand.
‘‘In 2013/14, an estimated 79,000 children aged 2-14 years, and over one million adults in New Zealand were obese.
‘‘To put it another way, 10 per cent of all children aged between 2-14 years are obese, 15 per cent of Maori children and 25 per cent Pacific children.’’
Obesity is linked to diabetes, cardiovascular problems, dementia, some cancers, mental illness and chronic pain. They were conditions which significantly impacted on people’s quality of life and added substantial ongoing costs to the health system.
Coleman said he had been working closely on the package with Sir Peter Gluckman, the health and education sector as well as the private sector.
Gluckman is the Prime Minister’s chief Science Advisor and chairs the World Health Organisation’s Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity.
But there would be no regulatory changes over sugar content or marketing of some foods.
‘‘The plan does not include any new taxes. We are not introducing a sugar tax – it’s not workable. The jury is still out on whether a tax on sugar sweetened beverages actually reduces rates of obesity. We continue to follow the evidence as it evolves.
We need to start early in life, very early. There is growing evidence of the importance of prenatal habits and its relationship with the hardwiring of a child’s eating habits going forward. Around 60 per cent of New Zealand mums gain more weight than recommended during pregnancy,’’ Coleman said. ‘‘Our plan focuses on children as that’s where the evidence shows we can have the greatest impact. We are taking a life course approach, which is evi- dence based. By focusing on children we expect to also influence the whole family.’’