Healthy advice for Pacific Islanders

By MARTIN JOHNSTON

Diets with too much fat, sugar and salt are on the hit list for Iuni Stowers' Pacific Island clients in Tokoroa.

The Waikato District Health Board Pacific Island health coordinator has just completed food training targeted at helping her community to eat more healthily.

She is among 36 community workers, nurses and others who graduated from the first Certificate in Pacific Nutrition course at Auckland University of Technology.

The three-month course was designed by the National Heart Foundation's Pacific Island section.

Foods high in saturated fats and popular with Pacific palates, such as coconut cream and canned corned beef, worry health experts.

Mrs Stowers, who will run Pacific nutrition courses with churches, women's groups, pre-schools and other community organisations, said she would not tell the participants to give up coconut cream.

But she would tell them to do without it if they could, or dilute it with water or low-fat milk.

"They can have it once a fortnight, but not all the time."

Similarly she would not try to ban canned corned beef.

"We advise people to melt the fat, tip it off and cook with lots of vegetables."

Other meat should have the fat trimmed off and chicken should have the skin removed.

Obesity, caused mainly by poor diet and lack of exercise, is a risk factor for type two diabetes, heart disease and other conditions. The foundation says 48 per cent of Island women and 28 per cent of men are obese. Pacific Islanders have a higher death rate from strokes than Pakeha and are twice as likely to get type two diabetes.

Herald feature: Health