Obesity Under Spotlight at Conference

Obesity Under Spotlight at Nutrition and Physical Activity Conference
21 May 07

The challenge of New Zealand’s rising obesity levels is the focus of the National Nutrition and Physical Activity conference being held in Rotorua this week.

Organised by Agencies for Nutrition Action and sponsored by the Ministry of Health, SPARC and HSC, the conference will be attended by key players in the nutrition and physical activity sector.

Agencies for Nutrition Action Executive Director Nicola Chilcott says the conference will look at how the obesity epidemic came about, and what is being done to address it globally, nationally and locally.

“The programme covers issues related to obesity such as food security and barriers to physical activity. A number of nutrition and physical activity experts will present on topics such as improving food supply and food access, the benefits of recreation activities, obesity and the environment we live in, the ethics of working with the food industry and Pacific models for health and research.

“Day one also sees the launch of a groundbreaking report on the impact eating breakfast has on academic performance, maintaining a healthy body weight, and improving nutrient intake and lifestyle habits in children; while day two includes the launch of a new social marketing campaign encouraging families to eat healthy food.”

Conference speakers include:

Dr Colin Tukuitonga: who was until recently the World Health Organization (WHO) Coordinator of Surveillance and Prevention of Chronic Diseases and responsible for the development and implementation of the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health.

Professor Wendy Brown: a professor of physical activity and health, at the School of Human Movement, University of Queensland. Professor Brown's current research interests focus on health promotion and on the prevention and management of chronic illness, from a population health perspective. The current high burden of illness which is attributable to inactivity and overweight in Australia is the major target of her work.

Associate Professor Papaarangi Reid: the Tumuaki (Maori Dean) in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, at the University of Auckland, Assoc Prof Reid is a leading advocate and researcher for Maori health issues. She has contributed immensely to making Maori health issues a national priority.

Dr Martin Caraher: Reader in Food and Health Policy in the Department of Health Management and Food Policy, at City University, London. He has worked extensively on issues related to food poverty, cooking skills, local sustainable food supplies, the role of markets and co-ops in promoting health, farmers’ markets, food deserts & food access, retail concentration and globalisation.

Professor Sitaleki Finau: Professor Finau has a long varied career in clinical medicine, public health, community health, epidemiology and research in Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, and Hawai’i. He is registered as public health specialist in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific. Most recently he was Professor of Public Health at Fiji School of Medicine, Suva for five years until June 2006 when he became the first Director Pasifika at Massey University.

ENDS

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