2014/15 NZ Health Survey

Lots of interesting data in the latest NZ Health Survey.

Some changes from 2007 to 2015:

• Smoking rate down from 20.1% to 16.6%
• 15 to 17 year old smoking rate down from 15.7% to 6.1%
• Maori smoking rate down from 42.1% to 38.1%
• Drinking (alcohol) rate down from 83.6% to 79.5%
• 15 to 17 year old drinking rate down from 74.5% to 57.1%
• Hazardous drinking rate down from 18.0% to 17.7% (but up from low of 14.9% in 2011)
• 15 to 17 year old hazardous drinking rate down from 19.5% to 10.8%
• Obesity rate up from 26.5% to 30.7%
• 15 to 17 year old obesity rate up from 12.0% to 16.4%

So my conclusions are:

• Smoking rate steadily dropping and teen smoking rate has plummeted which is good. However 5% target for NZ will not be met without a big drop in the Maori smoking rate.
• A huge drop in the teen drinking rate, which shows how wrong those are claiming the drinking age needs to increase
• A drop in the overall drinking rate but an increase in the hazardous drinking rate which means measures should target hazardous drinkers, not all drinkers
• The obesity rate increase starts young. Even under 5s have a 10% obesity rate, which suggests to me parenting is a major factor. Also cultural factors play a big role – 8% of European children are obese, 7% of Asian children, 15% of Maori children and 30% of Pasifika children.