Dietary change among Cook Islanders in New Zealand

Acculturation within New Zealand Pacific communities: how does this influence diet and health?

“…These results are reflected in medical statistics as well, which show that Pacific populations on average have negative health outcomes regarding food related disease (Medical Council of New Zealand, 2010). Based on the results of this and other studies (King et al, 2012;Borrows et al, 2011;Rush, 2009;Fitzgerald, 1980), it is reasonable to suggest that average negative health outcomes for New Zealand Pacific may have to do in part with the lifestyle habits of high acculturated New Zealand Pacific, particularly this group"s lack of prioritization of underlying traditional cultural principles such as holistic wellbeing.…”

“…By contrast, in the present, day many Pacific people around the world have had foodrelated health problems develop when adjusting to new Western cultural and environmental settings. This has been observed in New Zealand (King at al, 2012), Hawaii (Davis, et al, 2004), Tonga, Nauru (Curtis, 2003), the Cook Islands (Fitzgerald, 1980), and Western and American Samoa (Davis, et al, 2004). This suggests that a great deal of the problem for Pacific people is to do with adjustment to a new industrial, modern setting, and the social and cultural difficulties related to this adjustment.…”

“…A focus for Pacific people, traditionally on the importance of food in overall wellbeing, was likely due to the island environment. In an (traditional) island setting there were periodic food shortages resulting in weight loss and a feast or famine mentality (Fitzgerald, 1980). Periodic famines led over time to a focus on the symbolic importance of having abundant food supplies whenever possible, and providing this abundance freely to guests.…”

“…A traditional Pacific island diet was lower in fat and calories than a typical Western diet (Curtis, 2003) which Pacific people eat more of in Western contexts. In Western settings food is regularly available, and this can result in overeating for Pacific people used to feasting when food is available (Fitzgerald, 1980). While food production and preparation traditionally in the islands was physically demanding, in the Western setting less calories are expended at work on average (King et al, 2012).…”

“…Another survey of health practitioners in New Zealand found that health providers described Pacific people as having irregular eating habits, eating fewer vegetables than was healthy and having less than adequate knowledge of the nutrition in Western foods. Researchers found later in interviewing Pacific peoples that these were not accurate characterizations, but instead due to misunderstanding of cultural cues from Pacific people on the part of health providers, coupled with presumptions made by health providers based on common stereotypes (Fitzgerald, 1980). While misunderstandings such as these were neither intentional nor malicious, they exemplify how commonly held stereotypes about Pacific people could negatively affect health outcomes through misdiagnosis or mistreatment.…”