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Public Health Problems

Problem One: Obesity

• According to the International Obesity Task Force, New Zealand is the sixth fattest nation in the world¹.
• One third of children are overweight or obese² and one in five adults are obese³.
• The prevalence of obesity has approximately doubled for both men and women between 1989 and 2003³.

Prevalence of Obesity, Total Population Aged 15 - 74 Years, By Sex, 1977 - 2003

How Fat Are We?

Problem Two: Cardiovascular Disease

• Cardiovascular disease (including heart disease) is the leading cause of death in New Zealand, accounting for 40% of all deaths in 2000⁴
• Sixteen New Zealanders die each day as a result of heart disease⁴.

Problem Three: Diabetes

According to the New Zealand Ministry of Health, diabetes is a significant cause of ill health and premature death and affects about 200,000 people⁵.

The Causes

Obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes are mainly caused by unhealthy lifestyle factors, including:

• An increased energy intake
• A reduction in physical activity
• An unhealthy balance of fat in the diet - one which is too heavily dominated by saturated fats (e.g. animal fats, palm and coconut oils) and trans fats (partially hydrogenated vegetable oils)

Trans Fats - What are they and where are they found?

Trans fats are a type of “bad” fat that has been linked to a number
of health problems

• Trans fats occur naturally - they are found in smaller amounts in meat and dairy products, and are artificially created in much larger amounts by partially hydrogenating vegetable oils (so they keep longer)
• Trans fats raise blood cholesterol levels, which can increase the risk of heart disease

Virtually Trans Free
Ingredients Solutions

• Virtually Trans Free margarines and shortenings (<1% trans fatty acids)
• No partially hydrogenated oils
• Assist in meeting the growing consumer demand for healthier options

How do I reduce my intake of Trans Fats?

• Read the Nutrition Information Panels on food labels. These will give you information on the levels of fats in the food product
• Look out for products made with Virtually Trans Free margarines and shortenings

1. International Association for the Study of Obesity. www.iotf.org. Accessed Aug 2005.
2. New Zealand Ministry of Health. 2003. NZ Food, NZ Children: Findings of the 2002 National Children’s Nutrition Survey. HP3648.
3. New Zealand Ministry of Health. 2004. A Portrait of Health: Key Results of the 2002/03 New Zealand Health Survey. HP3869.
4. Hay DR. 2004. Cardiovascular Disease in New Zealand. Technical Report No.82.
5. New Zealand Ministry of Health. www.moh.govt.nz. Accessed Feb 2007