Press Release – Auckland University of Technology
A new concept in food environments, the
food haven
, developed by AUT researchers at the Child and Youth Health Research Centre, aims to reduce high obesity rates among Māori and Pacific peoples.
· A strength-based approach, that incorporates indigenous knowledge and models ‘what urgently needs to be done’, would be a more empowering and effective way to reduce obesity among New Zealand’s most vulnerable groups, according to a new AUT study.
· AUT researchers are proposing a new term, the
food haven, defined as ‘a space (Vā) or place (papakāinga) where people have high availability of healthy food that is culturally accessible, convenient, affordable and desirable’.
First Person - Pasifika journalist Sela Jane Hopgood was sceptical when offered medication for perinatal depression, but, she writes, saying yes saved her life.
Sela first went to a dark place in the weeks before her son was born.
Photo: RNZ / Claire Eastham-Farrelly
A few weeks before I gave birth and during the first year of my son s life, I often went into a dark place where I was intensely worried about my baby, my appetite was all over the place and I was severely irritable and angry at people around me.
It got so bad that I felt like I was changing as a person. Some of my behaviour was odd - I became obsessed with the way the washing had to be done. When my husband did not do it my way, I would raise my voice at him.
First Person - Pasifika journalist Sela Jane Hopgood was sceptical when offered medication for perinatal depression, but, she writes, saying yes saved her life.
Sela first went to a dark place in the weeks before her son was born.
Photo: RNZ / Claire Eastham-Farrelly
A few weeks before I gave birth and during the first year of my son s life, I often went into a dark place where I was intensely worried about my baby, my appetite was all over the place and I was severely irritable and angry at people around me.
It got so bad that I felt like I was changing as a person. Some of my behaviour was odd - I became obsessed with the way the washing had to be done. When my husband did not do it my way, I would raise my voice at him.
Suliana Kaota could hardly recognise herself as postnatal depression took over.
Photo: RNZ / Claire Eastham-Farrelly
Warning: This story includes verbal abuse scenes and discusses suicide.
Suliana Katoa is at home in Tāmaki Makaurau with her three children, watching
Coco the movie, when she considers suicide.
It is raining hard. Suliana s husband and parents have just headed off to ako hiva (church choir practice).
She grabs a basket full of washing to fold on her bed. She glances at her newborn lying peacefully in his cot and her eldest daughter, who is cuddling a bowl of popcorn.
Suliana spies her two-year-old son sitting on the floor with his milk and cookies.