The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners

Rates of obesity among Pacific people in New Zealand continue to rise. Exercise interventions and recommendations by governing bodies prescribe individualised exercise, such as jogging, cycling or gym-based training. However, Pacific people tend to be community-based and also tend to perform informal exercise in groups.

In the latest Journal of Primary Health Care (JPHC) University of Auckland researchers Dr Hans Edge and colleagues proposed that game-based activity such as touch rugby and social football may be more culturally appropriate for group-based populations, while still providing important health benefits.

The study refers to recent estimates indicating that 64% of Pacific adults are classified as obese compared with approximately 23% of adults from European and other groups. The prevalence of diabetes is also much higher among Pacific people than most other ethnic groups in New Zealand.

The preliminary trial found that game-based activities involving small teams in a social environment produced improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and strength in Pacific adults over a 4-week period. There were also promising trends in blood sugar levels. A larger trial is necessary to explore the longer-term benefits for weight and cardiovascular risk factors.

The full article can be found in the latest issue of the Journal of Primary Health Care, a peer reviewed, quarterly scientific journal published by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners.