The obesogenic environment
New Zealand has one of the highest numbers of adults living with obesityand the rates are not improving. Data from 2021 showed a substantial increase in bothfrom the previous year.
Obesity is a major public health concern that is estimated to be responsible for approximatelyannually. The global economic impact of obesity is estimated at roughly US$2 trillion or 2.8% of global GDP.
Health issues like this are often thought of in terms of. However, this approach diverts focus away from health systems, governments and.
The global rise in obesity since 1980 has occurred too rapidly forto be its root cause. Instead, it may actually just be ato environments that provide easy access to energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods and a range of unhealthy options that require us expending very little energy.
Think about it: maintaining good health in our current environment requires a lot of effort. Why? Because healthy choices are often more difficult than convenient ones, be that trying to avoidor conveniently placed, the lack of access to fresh fruit and vegetables, or deciding to cycle rather than drive the car.
This is known as anand it needs to change.
The Healthy Location Index
This change begins with an understanding of how things currently stand, which is where the HLI comes in.
Data used in our index includes quantifying access to five “health-constraining” features: fast-food outlets, takeaway outlets, dairies and convenience stores, alcohol outlets and gaming venues.
We also quantify five “health-promoting” features: green spaces, blue spaces (accessible outdoor water environments), physical activity facilities, fruit and vegetable outlets, and supermarkets.
The index provides a rank for every neighbourhood in New Zealand based on access to these positive and negative features.
Out of New Zealand’s three major urban regions, Wellington shows highly accessible health-promoting and health-constraining environments, Auckland offers relatively balanced environments, and Christchurch shows a high proportion of people living in more health-constraining environments.
Environmental injustice
The bigger picture created by the HLI supportshighlighting a disproportionate number of features that constrain health, such asԻin socioeconomically deprived areas.
Of particular concern in the most deprived areas, the distance to health-constraining features was half what it was in the the least deprived areas, highlighting the persistent over-provision ofin some parts of the country.
This phenomenon is well known as a form of “environmental injustice” which ultimately stems from ain the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies.
The index also highlights how areas of New Zealand with quick and easy access to health-constraining features are worse off in terms of bothԻoutcomes such as depression and type II diabetes.
While the index shows clear evidence that, on average, the most deprived areas of New Zealand often have access to health-constraining features, this finding is not universal. It also varies from place to place.
both have a decreasing number of health-promoting environments, with growing deprivation. However, there are remarkably more health-constraining places in Christchurch than in Wellington.
Knowledge offers a way to change
This is only our first iteration of the index and we intend to add more features in the future. But we hope the data provided in the index can encourage important conversations to help us better understand how our cities are shaped.
We need to ask whether we really need that additional fast-food outlet or liquor store in the same neighbourhood. We hope the index can help policy makers consider how to shape more health-friendly cities by regulating or adding the right features.
After all, the protection and promotion of public health is a core responsibility of government and it should not be left to individuals, families or communities to create such changes.
This article was originally published on.
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