KEY POINTS:
Younger Asians in New Zealand are getting too fat, and some of the older ones are getting mad - but they are not reaching out for help.
Health experts will meet over the next two days in Auckland, hoping to make sense of these issues and find a solution.
"There seems to be a total lack of interest on a governmental level in wanting to understand the specific health needs of diverse communities within the category of Asian," said Associate Professor Samson Tse from Auckland University's faculty of medical and health sciences, an organiser of the Asian Health and Wellbeing Conference.
He said participants at the conference will be told Asian youth here are sitting on an obesity timebomb and stigma and discrimination are preventing Chinese mental illness sufferers from seeking help.
"We know some of the problems in the community - like Asians are less likely to access primary health services such as GPs - but beyond that, there is a lack of understanding about why it happens and what we should do about it.
"Discussions at the conference will hopefully help us understand these better, and find out what we can do."
Professor Tse said local health experts would look at overseas examples and listen to international experts from the US and Australia, to find out what can be done to better the health conditions and support for Asians in New Zealand.
One of the more "urgent topics" to be discussed is obesity facing Asian youth, which will shatter the myth Asians are less likely to get fat.
A University of Auckland study found Asians to be just as likely as European New Zealanders to be overweight, and they lead less healthy lifestyles and snack more on unhealthy food.
The research involved 181 South Asians, 97 East Asians and 442 Europeans aged between 12 and 18 years.
It found 7.73 per cent of South Asians to be obese compared with 11.31 per cent of Pakeha, and 20.62 per cent to be overweight compared with 21.04 per cent of Europeans.
Researcher Shirin Foroughian, who will lead the discussions on the topic, said: "It is a worry because Asian youths here also exhibit problematic nutritional behaviour and illustrate inaccurate knowledge of weight-related issues."
The conference will also give participants an insight into the unique health issues different Asian communities in New Zealand face, Professor Tse said.
Dr Madhumati Chatterji will give a glimpse into the "obesogenic" environment of South Asians in Auckland, while Korean health workers will address issues surrounding "goose mothers" (women whose husbands are back in Korea) and help-seeking in their community.
Chinese health professional Ivan Yeo will talk about a project aimed at helping the Chinese to counter stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness.
