Health messages on Waitangi Day to grow community

5th February, 2009

MEDIA RELEASE

Health messages on Waitangi Day to grow community

The Let’s Beat Diabetes programme is supporting New Zealand’s second largest Waitangi Day Celebration held in Manukau City. Waitangi Day Family Celebration acknowledges the past and celebrates the future of our Maaori people. The focus of the Let’s Beat Diabetes programme at the festival will to help support a healthier future for Maaori.

According to Mr Paraone the Counties Manukau community has the highest rates of Type 2 Diabetes and childhood obesity in Aotearoa. In 2007, it was estimated that up to 27,000 people were diagnosed with diabetes in the district, representing more than 6% of the adult population. A further 9,000 people were estimated to be undiagnosed. Without intervention these figures could be expected to double over the next 20 years.
Obesity is a key contributor to the development of Type 2 diabetes.

Key messages by the Lets Beat Diabetes team at the Festival will be that making a healthy choice to “swap to water” and “get more active” are ways that can reduce the risk of being diagnosed with diabetes.

The New Zealand Health Survey released last year showed that children in Counties Manukau drank fizzy drinking more often than children anywhere else in the country. “There is a strong association between sugar rich fizzy drinks and increased obesity” says Mr Paraone. “Water is the healthiest choice for the whaanau.”

The Counties Manukau based programme Let’s Beat Diabetes Programme is a community partnership aimed at long-term changes to prevent and/or delay the onset of diabetes, slow the disease’s progression, and increase the quality of life for people with diabetes. Its success depends on the action and commitment of all its partner organisations, which together work towards achieving its goals. The Lets Beat Diabetes partnership works with many sectors including the food industry, local councils, sports organisations, primary care, churches, marae, schools and early childhood education.

ENDS

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