13 Jul 2009

Call to tackle obesity as a priority

9:55 pm on 13 July 2009

Health groups say a report from the OECD showing New Zealand has the third-highest obesity rates of 30 countries - behind the United States and Mexico - means the Government must make the problem more of a priority.

The survey indicates more than a quarter of the country's adult population - 26.5% - was obese in 2007.

The Obesity Action Coalition says recent Government decisions to abolish healthy food standards in schools will only help to push up obesity rates.

The Government has also cut funding to the coalition. Its chief executive, Leigh Sturgiss, says it's not enough to assume people will make the right choices when they're bombarded by advertisements for food.