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Obesity As Abnormal Or Excessive Fat Accumulation

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WHO (2015) defines obesity as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation. Obesity and being overweight may cause health impairments such as cardiovascular diseases, mainly heart disease and stroke, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders and some cancers. BMI (body mass index) is used for classifying adult obesity. The index is calculated by a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of his/her height in meters (BMI ≥ 25 = overweight, BMI ≥ 30 = obesity) (WHO, 2015). The Ministry of Health in NZ reported that, compared to non-Maori, Maori adults are facing more health risks like smoking, hazardous drinking, obesity, being physically inactive, asthma and psychological distress, and Maori children also have slightly higher obesity rates that non-Maori children. They concluded that three in ten adults (31%) were obese in New Zealand, a 29% increase since 2011/12 (Ministry of Health, 2015). This paper analyses Maori obesity through their worldview of wellbeing, discusses both the implications on obesity for Maori wellbeing and the crown’s responsibility to change the state of obesity in Maori, and analyses through a social lense. Finally I would like to discuss how I can apply all my knowledge to improve Maori wellbeing.

First of all, Maori have their wellbeing models, and these are Te Whare Tapa Wha, Te Wheke and Te Pae Mahutonga (Ministry of Health, 2015b). Common to these models are the fundamental dimensions of wellbeing: physical, spiritual, mental, family and

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