1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Soaring food prices are taking a toll on our kids. 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: This is published a new report published this morning. It's 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: published in the Journal of Royal Society of New Zealand 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: by the University of Auckland. It found food basket prices 5 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: increased by thirty five percent in the six years from 6 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: twenty eighteen to December of last year. This is for 7 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: healthy food for families. It means it's virtually impossible for 8 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 1: a family on a benefit to afford healthy food, and 9 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: with more than one third of kids being overweight or obese, 10 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 1: it's even more reasons to be concerned. The Health Coalition 11 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 1: alto Are Food Policy Expert Advisory Group co chair Sally 12 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:47,840 Speaker 1: McKay is with us. She's a nutritionist. Sally, good morning, Sally. 13 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: Can you hear me? I think we might have to 14 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: try and get us Sally. Are you there? 15 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 2: Yes? 16 00:00:56,080 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: I am there. We go tell me how concerning? Is 17 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: one of the interesting things I read in the report. 18 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 1: Just five point four percent of kids aged two to 19 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: fourteen years eat the recommended veggies per day. 20 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 2: Yes, that is very concerning. And the recommendations for vegetables 21 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 2: did actually change in the last few years, and the 22 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 2: recommendation is now a little bit higher than it was, 23 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 2: which is another reason why that figure does look so low. 24 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 2: But even before the recommendations changed, many of our children 25 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 2: were not getting enough vegetables every day. 26 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 1: Are they too high the recommendations I was having a 27 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: look at it. I think it's if you're twelve to thirteen, 28 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:43,559 Speaker 1: it's five veggies per day and two pieces of fruit 29 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 1: per day. I mean, is that a bit much? I 30 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,279 Speaker 1: mean if ninety five percent of kids aren't doing it. 31 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 2: Well, the recommendations, I guess are something to aim for. 32 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 2: And even if you can get close to those recommendations 33 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 2: then that would be better for you health. With vegetables, 34 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 2: the more you eat the better. So yeah, if you're 35 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 2: getting close, then that's not so bad. And we do 36 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:10,360 Speaker 2: do a little bit better on the fruit as well, 37 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 2: But still about half of our children don't get enough fruit, 38 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 2: and those recommendations are quite manageable at only two pieces 39 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 2: per day. 40 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 1: What is the impact of the last few years on 41 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 1: low income families when it comes to healthy food. 42 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 2: Well, we've seen that there's a lot more food parcels 43 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 2: that have been given out and the latest data on 44 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 2: food in security in New Zealand shows that one in 45 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 2: five children in that household, they often or sometimes run 46 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 2: out of food. So obviously this impacts those children that 47 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,079 Speaker 2: don't get enough to eat, and in particular it impacts 48 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 2: their learning when they're at school, and that's what we're 49 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 2: really concerned about. 50 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 1: And this is basically this research is basically a new 51 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: tool to measure the cost of feeding care as well. 52 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 2: Yes, so we have that New Zealand has a food 53 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 2: price Index and they publish the prices of about over 54 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 2: one hundred foods every month, and so this way we 55 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:15,799 Speaker 2: can keep track of what it costs to feed a 56 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 2: family very easily with this tool that has been developed. 57 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: The sad thing here is those families who are on benefits. 58 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: I mean, you know it is hard when you're on 59 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: a fixed income like that. Surely we need to be 60 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 1: encouraging more families into work. 61 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 2: Well, we need to. I mean for some families, the 62 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 2: reasons they're on the benefit because it is difficult to 63 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 2: work and they need to be on it. So, yes, 64 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 2: while we do want some families to work, we want 65 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 2: those that have to be on the benefit to be 66 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 2: able to afford healthy food. And often it's the other 67 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 2: cost like the rent and the transport and the electricity. 68 00:03:57,640 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 2: That mean that there's not very much left over for 69 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 2: food at the end of the day. 70 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, sorry, no, I was referring to the job seekert there. 71 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: Does this include does this research look at the schools 72 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: providing lunches for kids, families who might be gardening or 73 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: growing their own food that kind of stuff. 74 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 2: No, it doesn't, and we have done some other research 75 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:25,040 Speaker 2: that shows obviously if you are gathering or growing your 76 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 2: own food from other sources, then that will bring that down. 77 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 2: And the Healthy School Lunch's program that does provide a 78 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:36,039 Speaker 2: free lunch to about a quarter of our children. Of course, 79 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:40,039 Speaker 2: that is going to help those families with their budgets 80 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 2: and research has shown that it does reduce the food 81 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 2: budget per week. So we're pleased to see that the 82 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 2: government has kept the Healthy School Lunches program and it 83 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:53,279 Speaker 2: would be great if it could reach more children. 84 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:55,040 Speaker 1: All right, Sally, thank you very much for your time. 85 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: It's doctor Sally McKays. She's with the Health Coalition. Olt 86 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: Head Eye for more from Newstalk st B. 87 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 2: Listen live on air or online and 88 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 1: Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our 89 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: podcasts on iHeartRadio.