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

Enhancing Food Security and Physical Activity for Māori, Pacific and Low-income Peoplesunderstanding of the issues and potential solutions that no individual could have arrivedat alone.However, even with the range of expertise represented in the research team, taking aholistic view of food security and physical activity meant that some interventions wereoutside the team’s existing knowledge base. Considering iwi/ pan tribal development oftraditional food sources, for example, or the market of fringe credit lending institutions,are outside the direct experience of research team members. As a result, a weakness ofthe research is the lack of detail in some of the intervention recommendations, whichcould be improved by more specific expertise. Key informant interviews were used whenconsidering interventions, where resources allowed, as an attempt to address thisweakness.Whilst a comprehensive systems view was taken of food security and physical activitycausation and solutions, it was necessary to limit the scope of the research at eachphase. From the inclusion criteria of the initial comprehensive literature reviews, throughto the selection of interventions for focused exploration, possible areas of study havebeen excluded. While limiting the study scope has resulted in a more realistic set ofrecommendations, the weakness is the exclusion of potential interventions that may beeffective in enhancing physical activity and food security. One example may besubsidising household expenses, other than food, to increase food budgets. Forexample, an association has been noted between both the costs of home heating andhousing and food security. 6 7 With physical activity, issues of time for activity, motivationor technology were identified within the system (see Figure 8-2), but not considered inrelation to interventions. Because of the need in any complex area of investigation tolimit the scope of the study to that which is achievable within a set timeframe andbudget, the current research should not be considered the final word on enhancingphysical activity and food security for Māori, Pacific and low income whānau/families.ConclusionThis book presents the outcomes of a multi-phase, multi-disciplinary, multi-methodresearch project to examine the environmental influences on food security and physicalactivity for Māori, Pacific, and low-income families/ whānau (ENHANCE). The originalRequest for Proposal from the Ministry of Health and the Health Research Council setout a strong rationale for action in these areas. The ENHANCE research suggests thataction must include multiple interventions designed to impact across the social systemsfrom which food security and physical activity emerge. It identifies the need for action toinfluence a range of physical, economic, political and socio-cultural factors within thosesocial systems. The research recognises that action is required across government, iwi,pan tribal organisations, community and the food industry. A portfolio of interventions issuggested as a starting point for improving food security and levels of physical activityfor Māori, Pacific and low-income people. The suggested interventions are not the endpoint for addressing these issues. Instead the suggested interventions present aroadmap to begin coordinated and comprehensive action. Action needs to be supportedby research, evaluation and continual refinement and improvement. Importantly, acoordinated portfolio of interventions requires strong government leadership to ensurethat those least privileged in New Zealand are not food insecure, nor miss out onphysical activity, but live long productive lives in good health.211