Last year Taranaki’s child obesity rates were the worst in the country. This year we are second to bottom, having been beaten up one place by the East Coast.

Our obesity statistics are about twice as bad as those for the country at large. These are the statistics from the Ministry of Health. No one seems to be prepared to say why Taranaki produces fat kids, but we all must address the problem.

Hard to see us as we are
The image we have of Taranaki, of ourselves, is positive. Mention Taranaki and we think of the mountain, the coast, and rugby, farming and green paddocks. All these are images of a healthy lifestyle and fitness.

The statistics enable us to see ourselves in new ways. We are actually sedentary, idle and we overeat. Few people play sport, few tramp on the mountain, and few surf. I must admit to my contribution to our provincial problem.  

Food
We eat too much salt, too much fat, and too much sugar. Red meat contributes to cancer in the human gut. What, you might well ask, are we to eat? The answer seems to be to eat less and stick to fresh green foods.

Changing your eating habits is an ecological, physiological and psychological problem. All this shows the need for a family, local and national response. Every individual and every organisation has an important part to play in this war for the health of our children.

Medical response
The Minister of Health has asked the Ministry of Health for a plan to address childhood obesity. He hopes to be able to make decisions and announcements about this before Christmas.

The medical profession is gearing up to confront the obesity epidemic. But they are the ambulance at the foot of the cliff (please excuse the horrid metaphor). Most obesity is an outcome of lifestyle – it is the way we live that determines our calorific intake and the energy we use each day. Consequently, it is local government, schools and sports clubs that are most important. We have known this for at least two decades.

Survey of organisations
I visited the School of Medicine at the University of Auckland two weeks ago. Staff and students there are united in their concern about obesity. In one exercise, students contacted the local government sector. They wanted to ascertain how conscious councils were of their responsibility towards the health of their communities. They wanted to know what policies were in place to assist us.

Taranaki
The response from the Taranaki Regional Council was shown to me because it was outstanding. I quote:
 “Taranaki Regional Council has no responsibilities in this area.  This is a district council and/or public health responsibility. The answer to your questions is therefore: 1 (What do you have in your Long Term or Annual Plans that relates to obesity?)  Nothing:  2 (What is your current obesity strategy, and when did you first establish an obesity strategy?) The TRC does not have an obesity strategy; 3 (Do you have strategies or plans specifically for the elderly and youth?) No - Not a TRC responsibility; 4 (Do you have plan provisions or policies that relate to ethic groups, in particular in relation to their health needs?)  No - again, not a TRC responsibility.

They have yet to realise their responsibility regarding obesity because they hold our key public assets such as waterfront land, rivers, coast, ocean, a port, and gardens. They have yet to discover that econmic and environmental policy always entails social policy.
Perhaps the TRC attitude puts Taranaki’s statistics where they are. This is a failure of both the elected people and their professional advisors. May they one-day modernise and extend themselves.

The challenge
The TRC response demonstrates an issue for health officials. Is their message getting out? Do people accept the seriousness of our situation, given that our leadership in local government seems to be in avoidance/denial mode?

The TRC response made me check their website. They say this: “Freshwater and healthy soils are key factors in the thriving economy and great quality of life that make Taranaki one of New Zealand’s leading regions. And right now, the Taranaki Regional Council is reviewing the ‘rule book’ governing the use of these vital natural resources”.

The “use” of these resources is what is at issue in relation to obesity. Let us hope TRC search for opportunities to use our resources so that we really do achieve a “great quality of life”.

Other councils
The survey responses from other councils which I saw (not all of them) indicate that councils are mindful of their responsibility towards obesity although most do not have a precise policy on obesity. Most New Zealand councils have policy on children/youth and on older persons.

I looked at the South Taranaki District Council response which was signed out by Sonia Murray, Executive Assistant Corporate Services. It was a good, comprehensive response. STDC said more about their role as advocates for Maori than most other councils. Apart from the usual items mentioned by most other councils, Ms Murray mentioned their Open Space Strategy (2014) and the Pathways Strategy (2015).   

Taranaki Steelformers
The Steelformers Netball Club has won the new “Club of the Year” award from Netball Taranaki. This award recognises the critical role that clubs play in the war on obesity.

Whanau Pakari
The Whanau Pakari programme is to combat the rise of “weight issues of children”. It targets 5-16 year-olds and their families. Referrals come from nurses, GPs, kaiawhina, Whanau Ora, Maori health workers, and youth centres. 

Families are given physical fitness assessments, one-to-one support, supermarket tours, food label reading sessions, community vegetable garden sessions, cooking nights and general advice about healthy eating.

This is grassroots practical help from skilful people. The money for this comes from Sport Taranaki and the Taranaki District Health Board’s – excellent.

Research
A strong part of Whanau Pakari is the research it attracts. Several papers appear in medical journals. In July this year one of their papers appeared in The New Zealand Medical Journal. It suggests that all interventions to reduce child obesity seem to be useful but that the younger the child the better the results of the intervention.

I will not name the authors because medical people are very inclusive in their distribution of credit and I would be sure to miss someone out. Taranaki should be proud of its medical researchers.

Bariatric surgery
I was pleased to see the Taranaki medical response to obesity. Our Health Board funds weight-loss surgery. The programme began in 2012 with just 4 people a year and there is now a team of specialist advisors and facilities for the work at Base Hospital. I think the surgery is actually done in the Waikato.  
Last month a surgeon, Mr Richard Flint (based in Christchurch), felt moved to defend a young patient who was abused in the media because he had this surgery. Gross obesity is not the outcome of anything a person can control. We should not look at it as moral failure.
If you want to look at it from your own selfish point-of-view, reflect that this work saves all taxpayers’ money in the long run.

Easy plan
If you want to do something positive about sugar and salt in your diet, stop buying tins at supermarkets. If, like me, you prefer not to read labels (as we all should), then simply stop buying tins. If you cannot read where it comes from and what it contains do not buy the tin.

The spokesperson for the Food and Grocery Council, says regulations are not the answer to sugar and salt in our diet, whilst education is. They would say this would they not? How about industry commitments to targets on sugar and salt in the products they produce?  It is rather obvious more food regulations will be necessary if we are to improve our obesity statistics.

Finally, as this week’s “Coastal Outlook” is about medical matters, I should remind you I am not a medical doctor. If you have any health concerns, take a deep breath and visit your doctor or nurse. They do not mind your questions.

Robert Shaw
robert@porirua.net