Obesity is a critical issue faced by New Zealand’s healthcare sector. Country ranks third in have the most obese adult population among the different countries of OECD. The following discussion is based on the critical issue of obesity in New Zealand. The discussion highlights critical insights to the issue and investigates into the two critical variables that are depicted in the shape of behavior to time diagram. The latter part of the discussion is based on the causal loop diagram considering the two variables and provides critical insights to the issue identified.
Background:
According to Ministry of Health, (2017), obesity is defined as the excessive amount of fat in body. Huge literature is present in advocating the fact that obesity leads towards greater health risk and eventually increases the burden on healthcare sector within the country. The criticalness of this issue is realized with the fact that despite this knowledge there is growing trend of obesity in the country. According to Ministry of Health, (2017a), one in three kiwis is obese. New Zealand has remained on the third rank since 2007, however, during that time, 26.6 % of adults were obese and now the ratio has increased to reach 30.7%. The issue is not confined to adults, but New Zealand face issues of obesity in children, as well. The recent health survey concluded that 1 in every 8 children is obese that makes up to 12%. Moreover, 18% of Moari are obese and 29% of Pacific children are obese.
(Ministry of Health, 2017b).
Thomas, & Hunt, (2017), claimed that children that suffer from obesity are more likely to grow into adulthood with obesity that may result in critical sufferings including impaired glucose tolerance, high blood pressure and other diseases in young age. Anderson et al., (2016 ) on the other hand, claimed that increased fat in child’s body may also result in asthma, musculoskeletal issues, and other psychological issues including stress, depression, low self esteem and low confidence. Adults, on the other hand, are observed to suffer from diabetes, heart diseases, stroke, cancers, and different nature of abnormalities. Due to the severe issues linked with obesity, World Health Organization has linked obesity prevalence as epidemic.
(Ministry of Health, 2017b)
Overall, it is called the crisis of public health in New Zealand. Despite different measures and strategies implemented by the government and authoritative bodies of New Zealand, it is realized that the overall health literature is low. Furthermore, unhealthy eating habits, physical inactivity, genes, are some of the core reason contributing towards a fatter New Zealand.
Discussion:
Due to criticalness of the issue, extensive researcher work has been conducted in investigating the reasons behind increased obesity in the country. Scholars, practitioners and authoritative bodies have provided with comprehensive research studies depicting the two most common issues linked with the major issue of obesity (Stuff.co.nz, 2017). A thorough and comprehensive research conducted by Anderson et al., (2016) concluded that unhealthy diet is one of the leading causes for increased obesity in the country. This research comprised of 239 participants involving multiple ethnicities. The results stated that there is concerning prevalence of abnormal eating behaviors and significant differences in dietary intake in between those who are obese and those who are not. Similarly, a group of students from Otago University revealed eating disorders in children that contributed towards children obesity. The study focused over 980 children born in Christchurch and concluded that children who have developed a habit of eating unhealthy foods and improper meals are observed to suffer from obesity and then they grow up as an adult remaining as obese (NZ Herald, 2018). Similarly, another research carried out by the Christchurch weight loss surgery linked eating disorder with behavior issue prevailing within the wider population in the country including Maori, European and within the different ethnicities. A survey from the Ministry of Health of New Zealand represents the similar statistics. It is observed that unhealthy behavior has contributed significantly towards obesity. The research has provided critical insights including smoking, drinking and having fast food as the main concerns for increased obesity within the country. The research also highlights psychological factors that have contributed towards the issue, yet unhealthy eating habits have remained the main reason for increased obesity. As the Shuttleworth, (2015) reported that, ‘The average Kiwi eats 350 more calories every day than they need’, and Auckland bariatric surgeon, Richard Barbor said we lived in a "toxic food environment”, “The biggest thing that keeps getting spun out in the media is this fallacy of choice – that somehow eating is everybody's individual responsibility.
It is observed that eating disorder has increased in the past few years, especially from 2007 to 2018 and is expected to increase if necessary actions are taken. As depicted from the behavior to time graph, it is realized that eating disorder has increased in the masses including men, women, children and that has caused a significant increase in obesity population from 2007 to 2018 (Anderson, 2017).
Unhealthy eating habit is considered as main issue within the case of obesity in New Zealand, and that is why it is considered and depicted in the behavior to time graph. From the map, as well as from the research, it is observed that eating disorder is increasing with the time. In 2007 New Zealand was at the third place in fattest countries in the world, and has remained on the same rank, the difference is linked with increased population with obesity with 30.7%. Thus, an increase in the overall trend is observed that has led towards increase obesity in the country (Suckling, 2017).
The second key issue as depicted in the behavior to time graph is linked with physical activity. A research carried out by Stanford University claims that in generally Kiwis are getting lazier. It is realized that an average Kiwi takes on an average 4,582 steps daily that is less than the average American that ranks first on the obesity list (Thomas, & Hunt, 2017). Similarly, Ministry of Health New Zealand claims that only 10% of the total secondary students participate in youth exercises. Similar research concludes that 65% of the teenagers spend more time watching TV, and 30% of teenagers spend more than three hours watching TV. Furthermore, only four % of the entire population play rest are fat fans. As per the Statistica.NZ, it is observed that very less percent of Kiwis actually participates in physical exercises. These findings are attuned with UN findings that have realized that physical inactivity remains one of the major causes for increased obesity in different countries. The publication supported by the UN claimed that “the primary causes of overweight and obesity can be traced to energy-related behaviours – physical activity, sedentary behaviuor, eating behaviour and sleep – which contribute to an energy imbalance between calorie intake and energy expenditure.” Another research conducted by Anderson et al., (2016) comprising of 23,239 children revealed that children mostly spend their time on different internet devices rather than playing outside. 40% of the total sample size did not meet the national recommendation for physical activity and mostly spend time on different screens (Shuttleworth, 2015).
From the second diagram of behavior to time graph represents the decline in physical activity from 2007 to 2018 and rest is predicted. It is realized that physical inactivity is one of the leading causes for obesity in the country that also needs to be tackled as to address the wider issues (NZ Herald, 2018).
In terms of strategy levers, these two variables are highly relevant and attuned. It is observed that eating disorder and physical inactivity can be linked with strategic levers. It is realized that eating disorders is contributing towards increased obesity so is the physical inactivity. The overall relationship between the different strategic levers is observed to be highly significant and effective. The authoritative bodies can develop strategies to reduce the eating disorders through creating effective awareness and promoting healthy dietary concept that can help in reducing the overall obesity in the country. Similarly, the authoritative bodies can also promote physical activities within the country so that more and more people spend their times in being physical that can actually help in gaining a fit population within the country. Within the concept of strategic levers, it is observed that both of the critical issues can be tackled via strategic initiatives focused over the entire population. Eating disorder versus health diet awareness and physical inactivity versus fit lifestyle. Utter, (2015), in this regard mentioned the fact that these two variables can easily be corrected via strategic initiatives that can help the authoritative bodies to lower the burden on healthcare sector.
The causal diagram developed for eating disorder depicts its positive relation with obesity. However, as Suckling, (2017) argued that adequate and proper strategic initiatives are necessary in terms of awareness that can help in reducing the eating disorders that can eventually reduce the overall obesity in the country. Thomas, & Hunt, (2017), further added that promotional campaigns in creating awareness regarding how obesity can lead towards diseases and painful lifestyle needs to be created. Similarly, it is also essential to tax sugary products that are consumed by obese people in the country. From the causal loop diagram it is observed that effective awareness program and strategic initiatives from authoritative bodies can help people in realizing the importance of healthy diet and healthy intake by reducing smoking and reduce drinking. Furthermore it can lead towards the point where people can reduce the consumption of junk food and eliminate excess calorie intake that in turn can reduce obesity. The overall idea from the diagram is related with the fact that healthy diet can reduce obesity and for healthy diet awareness programs are to be initiated. From the causal loop diagram it is also stressed that food should be labeled depicting the ingredients and sugary consumption on packaging. Similarly, social media campaigns can also help in raising awareness. As per the OECD guidelines, it is observed that government and authoritative bodies should make greater and effective regulations for unhealthy food targeting junk food, advertisements for drinks, and fast food advertisements targeting children. To some extend positive feedback is received from such initiatives. The study by students of Otago University stated that on an average a child views 27 to 30 ads per day associated with junk food. Similarly, as they spend more time on TV and digital screens, they are more influenced than before (NZ Herald 2018).
The second causal loop diagram is linked with the second issue of physical inactivity. Anderson, (2017) argued that government should place promotional campaigns at the right place to motivate youth to go out and participate in physical activities. It is realized that youth spend more time on screen that on the ground. Increased awareness of physical activities may reduce time for screen and people will spend more time walking and doing physical activities that can in return reduce the overall physical inactivity thus reducing the overall obesity. As per the standards set by the Ministry of Health New Zealand, being physical active requires at least 30 mint of walk and ten minutes of exercise. From the causal loop diagram, it is observed that being physical active will decrease the level of obesity and thus will make people more active.
Conclusion:
From the above discussion it is apparent that New Zealand face huge challenge in terms of obese population. Two main reasons as the behavior to time diagram depicts are eating disorder and physical inactivity. From the causal loop diagram it is observed that creating awareness and in both the cases will reduce obesity.