Country paying high price of obesity

By KATHERINE HOBY

More than 50 per cent of New Zealanders are overweight or obese.

Agencies for Nutrition Action have reached this conclusion from a series of forums throughout New Zealand at which they are examining the huge cost in lives and dollars from surplus weight.

The Hillary Commission says it is not only the food that we eat that causes the problem.

Hundreds of lives each year could be saved by just half an hour a day of moderate exercise.

Nigel Cass, the commission's manager for active living, says such exercise will enable a person to stay healthy and avoid obesity.

The commission is taking part in the nutrition forums.

Agencies for Nutrition Action comprises organisations such as the Cancer Society, the Heart Foundation, Te Hotu Manawa Maori, the Dietetic Association and the Diabetes Forum.

The group released a report last week on the state of the nation's weight.

"And it's not a healthy picture," says Mr Cass.

With more than 1000 people dying from obesity every year, and the cost in healthcare for those carrying the weight topping $130 million, the Hillary Commission agrees with the report findings.

"The report is an excellent non-government paper making the important link between nutrition and activity.

"The Ministry of Health has recognised the problem," it says.

"Now there is a need to back it up and address these findings with resources."

The Hillary Commission is promoting initiatives to encourage New Zealanders to be more active. They include Push Play, Green Prescriptions and Kiwi Walks.

"The Ministry of Health estimates that more than 2100 New Zealanders die prematurely as a result of not being active for 30 minutes a day," says Mr Cass.

The key message of the commission's programmes is that some is better than none.

"We have to get away from the 'no pain, no gain' way of thinking. The most significant health benefits are gained by taking those first steps off the couch.

"Even if you do just three 10-minute bursts of activity, that's enough.

"Obviously, the more you do, the better off you will be."

Mr Cass says it is important not to set the bar too high.

"Research clearly shows there is a level of physical activity which everyone can do - even if it's just going out to the letterbox three times a day or walking to meet the kids off the school bus."

People should be viewing movement as an opportunity, not an inconvenience, says Mr Cass.

The executive officer of Agencies for Nutrition Action, Sue Zimmerman, is delighted with the way in which the organisation's forums have been received.

The 1000-deaths figure and $130 million cost quoted in the updated Healthy Weight New Zealand report have really made New Zealand sit up and take notice, she says.

"The next step is getting the resources to put in place programmes to address the problem."