Fight the Obesity Epidemic

GOSearch

TRENDS

In recent decades there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in almost all countries, including New Zealand. Of particular concern is the substantial increase in childhood obesity in many countries. New Zealand is no exception.

Obesity is now so widespread that the World Health Organization regards it as a global epidemic:

• In 2005, 23% of the world’s adult population were overweight
• A further 10% were obese
• These percentages are expected to increase.

Read our definitions of “overweight” and “obese”

Obesity in New Zealand

For New Zealand children aged 2 to 14 years in 2006/07

• One in five were overweight (20.9%)
• A further one in twelve were obese (8.3%)
• The health of three in ten children (29.2%) is at risk because of excessive weight.

For New Zealand adults in 2006/07 the figures were worse

• More than one third were overweight (36.3%)
• More than quarter were obese ( 26.5%)
• The health of nearly two thirds (62.8%) is at risk because of excessive weight.

Nearly twice as many New Zealand adults are overweight or obese compared to the world average.

Obesity has been increasing in New Zealand for both adults and children

• More than twice as many 11 to 12-year-old Hawkes Bay children were overweight or obese in 2000 as in 1989
• 10% of adults were obese in 1977 compared to 21% in 2007, while levels of overweight remained much the same.

Some good news - but no room for complacency

There was little or no growth in overweight and obesity levels in New Zealand between 2002 and 2007. But the 2007 levels are far above those of a generation ago, and need to be greatly reduced.

With 3 in 10 New Zealand children and more than 6 in 10 adults currently at an unhealthy weight, there is no room for complacency.

References

International trends

WHO Consultation. Obesity: Preventing and managing the global epidemic. WHO Technical Report Series No. 894. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2000.

Kelly, T., et.al. Global burden of obesity in 2005 and projections to 2030. International Journal of Obesity, 2006, 32, 1431-37.

Wang, Y., and Lobstein, T. Worldwide trends in childhood overweight and obesity. International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, 2005, 1, 11-15.

New Zealand trends

A portrait of health: Key results of the 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey. Wellington, Ministry of Health, 2008.

Tracking the obesity epidemic: New Zealand 1977-2003. Wellington, Ministry of Health, 2004.

Turnbull, A. et.al. Changes in body mass index in 11-12-year-old children in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand (1989-2000). Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2004, 40(1-2), 33-7.

Definitions of “overweight” or “obese”

Classification of New Zealanders as “overweight” or “obese” follows international best practice. It is based on “body mass index” (BMI) which is obtained from measurements of weight and height.

An adult with a BMI of 25 has reached the threshold where research evidence shows that, on average, damage to health will be occurring as a result of excessive body fat. The higher the BMI, the greater the risk to health.

“Overweight” is defined as having a BMI of 25.0 to 25.9, while “obese” is defined as having a BMI of 30 or more.