A major cause of New Zealand’s very high rates of obesity has been mapped in a world-first study from the University of Auckland. A comprehensive study of food composition, labelling, marketing, and prices as well as food in schools and retail outlets found that food environments were predominantly unhealthy. In addition, the study found that the policies and actions by government and the food industry to improve the healthiness of food environments were relatively weak. No country has so extensively mapped their food system, making this study an international first.
