enhancing food security and physical activity for maori, pacific and ...

Enhancing Food Security and Physical Activity for Māori, Pacific and Low-income PeoplesWhile it is imperative to develop the New Zealand evidence base linking the pertinentcomponents of the urban built environment and physical activity, it is also important toconsider in parallel the policy levers that can be used to enhance these environments.The development of a National Policy Statement (NPS) in New Zealand offersconsiderable potential to enhance many characteristics of the built environment thatpotentially influence physical activity. It is important that the ongoing process ofdeveloping a NPS in New Zealand, underpinned by the research that is progressing inthis area, explicitly incorporates an evaluation of the health implications of itsrecommendations. A significant strategic priority of a new NPS should be to specificallytarget the improvement of physical activity in Māori, Pacific and low income communitiesacross the country.Finally, while the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance recommends thatgovernance structures should promote recreation 72 , relevant stakeholders need to keepa watching brief to ensure that any local government reforms maintain a focus on wellbeingthat includes actions to enhance physical activity.Recommendations are that:• New research should be targeted at exploring the influence of the builtenvironment on physical activity and related health outcomes, with a particularemphasis on the three target communities.• Ensure that the ongoing process of developing a National Policy Statement onUrban Design incorporates an evaluation of the health implications of itsrecommendations, and specifically targets the improvement of physical activity inMāori, Pacific and low income communities.• Keep a watching brief to ensure that any local government reforms maintain afocus on wellbeing that includes actions to enhance physical activity.Problem definitionThe emergence of the ‘obesity epidemic’ in recent years and the associated concernsabout how levels of physical activity among populations are currently the focus of muchresearch. Recent international evidence suggests that public health strategies focusedon encouraging changes to individual behaviour, such as initiatives to increaseparticipation in physical activity, have been insufficient. While explanations for theobesity epidemic are clearly multifaceted, it is increasingly appreciated that the role ofthe environment is pivotal in understanding the population-level decrease in energyexpenditure. A strong case can be made for substantial and long-lasting environmentalinitiatives that provide easier opportunities for physical activity. Of course, advocating asuccessful public health agenda requires a robust evidence base, including a confidentassessment of whether environmental interventions do influence physical activity.There is growing international evidence that various physical features of the builtenvironment are pertinent in understanding individual-level physical activity levels.Neighbourhood characteristics that potentially influence physical activity levels include:access to recreational facilities and open/green space; neighbourhood aesthetics; socialcapital; crime and incivilities; and transportation options. The focus of this document isto evaluate the potential for implementing urban design initiatives to address physicalactivity levels among Māori, Pacific and low income communities in New Zealand. Inparticular, and based on the prioritisation process that the research team has132