Obesity

In 2008 New Zealand population was estimated to 4.3 million in 2008, (Statistics New Zealand. 2008). The Ministry of Health's studies show that roughly 1.13 million New Zealand adults are overweight, which show that 25% of New Zealand adults are obese, a slight increase from 2002 and 2003 (24%) but a wide rise from 1997 (19%). If the current trends continue, the obesity rate will rise to 29% by 2011. Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. Obesity is caused mainly by eating too much junk food and lack of exercise. There is a big price difference between junk food and healthy food. For these reasons New Zealand government should tax junk food. This would discourage the junk food industry and create a market for healthy food; which will lead to affordable healthy food.

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% with only the United States (34.3%) and Mexico (30%) higher, the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Health Data Report 2009 . Here are some of New Zealand Health Statistics::

- One in four adults were obese (26.5%)

- 41.7% of Māori adults were obese

- 63.7% of Pacific adults were obese

- 11% of Asian adults were obese

- There has been an increase in the prevalence of obesity for men and women from 1997 to 2006/07, adjusted for age, but the rate of increase appears to be slowing.

- One in twelve children (aged 2 to 14 years) were obese (8.3%).

- One in five children were overweight (20.9%).

- There has been no change in the average (mean) BMI for children aged 5-14 years since 2002.

The government should tax junk food. Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. Body (BMI), a measurement which compares weight and height, defines people as overweight (pre-obese) if their BMI is between 25 kg/m2 and 30 kg/m2, and obese when it is greater than 30 kg/m2.(" From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"). Obesity is associated with a long list of adult health conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and strokes, type 2 diabetes, various types of cancer, and psychological and social problems.("from MSD").

In 2006/2007, the age-standardised obesity prevalence rate for the population aged 15 years and over was 25 percent. This