Obesity problem getting bigger

The obesity rate has increased significantly since 2011/12 for all age, sex and ethnic groups, except Asian and Pacific according to the 2013 New Zealand Health Survey. The Ministry of Health suggests that part of the increase may be due to an increase in the proportion of survey participants agreeing to have their BMI measured.

Obesity continues to increase in adults with 31% (three in ten) adults obese, compared with 29% in 2011/12. (31%) were obese in 2012/13, over 1.1 million adults. The 2012/13 childhood obesity rate was similar to last year with 11% (one in nine) of children obese. Levels of physical activity remains unchanged for most, but have dropped in Māori. One-fifth (21%) of 15–24-year-olds were obese. The obesity rate increased with age, reaching 39% in adults aged 65–74 years. Obesity rates were highest in Pacific adults, where over two-thirds (68%) were obese. Rates of obesity were also high among Māori adults, among whom almost half (48%) were obese.

Obesity rates are significantly higher among New Zealanders living in socioeconomically deprived areas. In particular, children living in the most deprived areas are three times as likely to be obese as children living in the least deprived areas. After adjusting for age, sex and ethnic differences, adults living in the most deprived areas were 1.5 times as likely to be obese as those living in the least deprived areas.

New Zealand Health Survey
Annual update of key findings 2012/13
Ministry of Health