Health experts say Māori and Pasifika communities are being disproportionately targeted by fast food marketing, with children exposed to more unhealthy food advertising than ever before. Combined with larger portion sizes and limited access to healthier options, researchers warn it’s creating an environment that makes it harder for rangatahi to stay healthy.
Health New Zealand data shows Māori continue to experience some of the highest rates of type 2 diabetes in Aotearoa, with many developing the disease earlier than other ethnicities.
Bombarded by unhealthy advertising
Waikato University researcher Rebekah Crosswell says the issue goes far beyond individual choices. Her research examines how the modern food environment influences the health of Māori communities.
“Our tamariki see more than 68 adds per day, that’s more than one a minute,” Crosswell says. “They are bombarded with these adds, and the portion sizes have only increased.”
Dr Mataroria Lyndon notes lower-income communities, where many Māori whānau live, are heavily targeted by fast food companies through advertising and the number of takeaway outlets.
“We know that especially our lower income communities are more targeted with fast food, with that type of Marketing,” says Lyndon.
Researchers warn that constant exposure to unhealthy food marketing makes it difficult for young people to build healthy eating habits, especially when cheaper, highly processed foods remain the most accessible option.
‘Portion distortion’ and changing norms
In addition to advertising, experts point to “portion distortion” as a critical factor in rising diabetes rates. Over the past decade, standard meal sizes have expanded, altering public perceptions of what a normal meal looks like.
“The portion of our kai is a lot more than we need, and also a lot more calories, a lot more sugars and fat in that kai, so we are eating a lot more than what’s good for us,” says Lyndon.
Reclaiming ancestral kai and Māori-led solutions
To reverse these trends, Crosswell advocates for reconnecting with traditional Māori ways of eating and living.
“We wanted to create something that was by, for, and with Māori, that could empower our communities to live well with type 2 diabetes,” Croswell explains.
“So many things that we and our tūpuna did ancestrally were taken away that were actually really beneficial,” she says. “Going back to those ways, I think, will really help with type 2 diabetes managements.”
She emphasizes that managing type 2 diabetes requires more than just telling individuals to eat better; it requires restoring mātauranga Māori and giving whānau the knowledge and confidence to make decisions that suit their lives. Ultimately, Crosswell hopes her research will help build healthier futures for rangatahi by reshaping the food environments they grow up in and placing Māori-led solutions at the centre of diabetes prevention.
