New Zealand, like many countries, is facing a growing obesity problem.
According to Manatu Hauora, The Ministry of Health, New Zealand had the third highest adult obesity rate in the OECD, and our rates continue to increase. One in three adult New Zealanders (over 15 years) is classified as obese, and one in 10 children. These figures were current as at March 2023.
The New Zealand Health Survey 2020/21 found that:
- around 1 in 3 adults (aged 15 years and over) were classified as obese*(34.3%), up from 31.2% in 2019/20
- there was a significant increase from 2019/20 to 2020/21 for women (31.9% to 35.9%), but not for men.
- the prevalence of obesity among adults differed by ethnicity, with 71.3% of Pacific, 50.8% of Māori, 31.9% of European/Other and 18.5% of Asian adults obese
- adults living in the most socioeconomically deprived areas were 1.6 times as likely to be obese as adults living in the least deprived areas.
- around 1 in 8 children (aged 2–14 years) were classified as obese (12.7%), up from 9.5% in 2019/20. Prior to this, the rate of obesity among children had been relatively stable.
- the prevalence of obesity among children differed by ethnicity, with 35.3% of Pacific and 17.8% of Māori obese, followed by 6.6% of Asian and 10.3% of European/Other children.
- children living in the most socioeconomically deprived areas were 2.5 times as likely to be obese as children living in the least deprived areas.
NZFGC’s Work
NZFGC has been involved in many activities and initiatives to address what is a very complex societal challenge.
We work with our members, the Government, and many other stakeholders to develop healthier food options for consumers by way of reformulation and innovation, and to look at other measures that could make a positive difference to the people of Aotearoa.
Food Industry Taskforce
In June 2018, leading food and beverage industry members formed the Food Industry Taskforce on Addressing Factors Contributing to Obesity, at the request of the Ministers of Health and Food Safety. NZFGC was the secretariat for the Taskforce.
In December 2018 the Taskforce provided the ‘Final Report to Ministers of Health and Food Safety’ identifying actions that industry members could take to further address obesity. The Taskforce made a further update on progress in September 2019.
The Taskforce made 51 recommendations to deliver a ‘package of practical measures’ by addressing five main areas:
- Food and Beverage Formulation and Innovation
- Employee Health and Wellness Programmes
- Community and Education Initiatives
- Food and Beverage Marketing
- Labelling and the rollout of Health Star Ratings.
The Government commended the Taskforce “for bringing together a range of views across the food and beverage industry, and for achieving agreement within members about the future role of industry in contributing to reducing obesity in New Zealand”.
The Government said it expected to progress actions in all the areas suggested in the report, in particular where it considered priorities for addressing obesity:
- food marketing – limiting advertising, marketing and sponsorship related to energy-dense, nutrient poor food and beverages
- improving reformulation and labelling of food and beverages
- creating healthier retail environments (e.g. limiting product placement and price promotions of energy-dense, nutrient poor food and beverages in supermarkets)
- instigating government-led monitoring and evaluation processes.
Read the Government’s response
Other work
NZFGC and its member companies are committed to a big body of work on these issues, through dedicated working groups, and have been for some years. That work includes:
- Product reformulation
- Healthier New Zealanders Project
- Health Star Rating system development and monitoring
- School and community initiatives
You can read about each of these elsewhere in Key Projects
In addition, a survey of members showed:
- Some 60 per cent of them have registered dietitians or nutritionists on their staff to advise on nutritional profile of foods, while others have them on contract or engage them as advisers.
- Some 70-80 per cent have policies on nutrient guidelines, workplace health and wellness, and health and nutrition.
- Many voluntarily put nutrition information on food labels – the most common being the voluntary Health Star Rating system and nutrient content claims.
We have also worked with other organisations on health initiatives, including the Heart Foundation, the Nutrition Foundation, Dietitians NZ, and the Consumer Goods Forum, and continue to look at opportunities to play our part in combating this important issue facing our country.