It's a striking headline, "7 out of 10 adults in Counties Manukau overweight or obese". According to Local Democracy reporter Stephen Forbes (published 1 News), Dr John Baker, who is Board Chair of Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa and is an endocrinologist who has been working in the area for over 40 years, finds the statistics from this report to Parliaments health select committee unsurprising. Key to this article though is Dr Baker reiterates that overweight and obesity "isn't about choice" for most people because of genetic predisposition. The recommendation of the report is for improved nutrition and physical activity, Dr Baker also notes regulation of the fast food/junk food environment would help, and that the new medications that aren't yet funded by PHARMAC have a part to play because "they can get people on the path to weight loss.”
