Role models needed in fat fight
Tuesday 20th September, 2011
A leading diabetes and obesity researcher would like to see more Maori and Pacific role models encouraging health living.
Jim Mann from the University of Otago says New Zealanders are now the second most obese population in the world next to Americans, and they're getting fatter every year.
He says young people especially are influenced by people they respect modeling good behaviour.
"Probably we don't need a single role model but if we can get people who are highly respected to act as role models I think this could be very helpful not just for obesity but for healthy living generally,” Dr Mann says.
He's pleased to see some schools are trying to teach rangatahi to live in a healthy way.
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