NZ third fattest country in developed world - OECD report

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NZ third fattest country in developed world - OECD report

3News NZ

The report says 26 percent of Kiwis are obese

The report says 26 percent of Kiwis are obese

New Zealand is the third fattest nation in the developed world, a report has found.

The obesity rate among adults in New Zealand in 2007 was 26.5 percent with only the United States at 34.3 percent and Mexico at 30 percent higher, the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Health Data Report 2009 released this month said.

Obesity rates had increased in all 30 OECD countries in recent decades, which may well lead to higher health care costs in the future, it said.

New Zealand had a much lower number of practising physicians than most other countries.

In 2007 New Zealand had 2.3 practising physicians per 1000 people, well below the OECD average of 3.1.

However, the country had a slightly above average number of nurses with 9.9 per 1000 people in 2007 compared to 9.6.

The country was also lagging behind in numbers of CT scanners.

It had increased from 3.6 per million of population in 1990 to 12.3 in 2007. However that was just over half the OECD average of 20.2 CT scanners.

New Zealand was also behind in numbers of MRI units, with 8.8 units per million people in 2007 compared to the OECD average of 11 units.

New Zealand had the fourth lowest percentage of smoking adults.

Rates had decreased from 30 percent in 1985 to 18.1 percent in 2007, lower than the OECD average of 23.3 percent.

Smoking numbers were lowest in Australia, United States and Sweden with rates under 17 percent.

Life expectancy for New Zealanders was 80.2 years in 2007, higher than the OECD average of 79 years.

It was less than life expectancy in Australia, Switzerland, Australia, Iceland and Spain which was more than 81 years in 2007.

The infant mortality rate in New Zealand was 4.8 percent deaths per 1000 live births in 2007, just below the OECD average of 4.9 deaths.

NZPA

Listen to RadioLIVE's James Coleman speak to Massey University's Professor John Birkbeck  on the health report


 

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Comments

15/07/2009 2:42:50 p.m.

mark wrote:

She's just big-boned... YEAH RIGHT!

15/07/2009 2:18:04 a.m.

Marie wrote:

I have lived in Nepal for over 3yrs and I am a bigger built person. Everywhere I go I am stared at and asked questions. "What is your weight? why are you so fat? children are worst mainly among the uneducated they would call out 'molti molti' meaning fat. I was certainly pleased that I lost weight as travelling in buses was no fun. The people here are so small and me being big boned it is hard to sit with anyone else on their narrow seats. I do regret allowing myself to have got this size. You have to look hard to find a person overweight here not because of money there are wealthy people here but because of our lack of exercise and think nothing to eat a bar of choc or have a cake for afternoon tea where you hardly see anyone eating inbetween meals here.

14/07/2009 3:21:04 p.m.

dan wrote:

Simple fact is "FAST FOOD" is the root cause of all evils. The health system is becoming burdened on account of this industry and adding to our tax dollars. People would be more active and healthy if the society on the whole only promoted such foods. Can these fast food providers profess that they utilize a healthy cooking medium?? Yes they contribute towards a number of charities but lead to more severe health problems by dishing out crappy foods.

14/07/2009 9:14:45 a.m.

Allan wrote:

Maybe the national government should look at financing the night classes for healthy cooking and other healthy activities rather than some of the odd ball classes that are around.

13/07/2009 7:17:56 p.m.

Tricia wrote:

David, you are an idiot, but lets not dwell too much on your comments why is no one pressing towards the issue of GST on food, we seem to be the only country that allows tax on food and staples as normal. We need to press the government to take gst off food and clothing especially in the recession and then maybe people can begin to afford healthier options instead of opting for coca cola and ready meals, why is it that we stand by and say to government that it is okay to be in a country that allows fizzy drink to be cheaper than milk and bread...shame on us for letting the people we vote in to treat us this way.

13/07/2009 6:24:28 p.m.

Maria wrote:

Wow so not only do we hear theres a recession going on...but theres some new mysterious flu killing us.....and after all that we are Fat..
is this really news how many times do we have to hea about any of the above cant you find some other subject has there been an earthquake lately
...or out of control fire get some news without the so called shock value

13/07/2009 1:59:07 p.m.

David wrote:

Frankly, for anyone to glorify morbid obesity is crazy, morbidly obese people are unsightly to look at, and in the majority of cases it's their fault. For someone to say a person who is so big they can hardly move comfortably to be beautiful must be blind, deaf and living on the other side of the world. They shouldn't just accept themselves for who they are, they should endeavor to lose the weight, and if need be, have their jaws wired or their stomachs stapled. It's unhealthy and an unnecessary burden on the health care system. And to be really straight up, you're not a big cuddly teddy bear, you're a grotesque monster. Lose the weight, it sickens me to think some reckon morbid obesity is ok.

13/07/2009 12:22:48 p.m.

John wrote:

My mum always says I will never attract a lovely nice girl to fall in love with me and marry beacuse some think I am a bit obese! But I prefer to think I am more of a portly stout cuddly Tubby bear with a heart of gold! The problem is your great news team have just don a hot chocolate feature on competition on the kiwi fruity market front down with brands of Chocolate which outside of Willy Womka's dream factory must play a contributing role in our increasing weighty ness. Actually I saw Dawn French on telly recently and she is a great role model for us fatties, and I think of Bridget Jones who could attract Hugh Grant and Colin Firth in a three way relationship despite hippy big pants. Many people though star Renee looked even prettier bigger, and I can most certainly admit to admiring a glamerous siren who looks even more gorgeous when a touch voluptuous. Where would Ruberns, Titian, Rembrandt and even Lucien Freud be without bigger beautiful women with tons of personality, many ounches of common sense and broad bottoms of character to match their smiles and personalities. Weightyness can really bring out the feminine maternal caring side that is embodied in the fuller figure and men can look both more witty and yet more dominating with a bigger frame. But huge or small if one falls in love or bond with someone as a mate, friend, buddy or partner weight obsession is a right turn off. Love4 conquors all regardless of size and it is better to really love yourself, be moderate and accept who you truely are and get on with love and life then get all stressed as a crash diet fad junkie, have heart attacks at unnatural exercise, get some robotic hard body or sink into moody depression or self destructive anorexia. And if God always meant women to be skinny models like high Flying Kate Moss why did he (or She) give us varied genes, many shapes and the joys of preganancy for maybe the lucky ones! GROMIT 2!

13/07/2009 8:49:37 a.m.

Alien wrote:

It needs to be pointed out our misleasing and flawed this study was. FOr example it took the figures for New Zealand in 2007 and compared them with Australia in 1999. Like wise it took out 2007 figures and compared them with Mexico and America a year earlier. The results of this study are flawed. It states that 1999 was the latest figures available for Aussie, yet it was just a few months ago that more recent results showed Australians as the fattest in the world.