Maori sports psychologist Ihirangi Heke says Maori need different exercise regimes to Pakeha.
He is one of the speakers at the Agencies for Nutrition Action & Physical Activity Conference starting on Tuesday in Auckland.
Mr Heke told Waatea News that many of the strategies aimed at improving physical health and tackling obesity are designed around Pakeha body shapes.
He said whanaungatanga is important to Maori, so exercise programmes with a group rather than an individual focus, work better.
