October 7, 2025 • 5 mins
A new report says the health of New Zealanders is declining, and that it's costing us dearly- in the billions of dollars with more billions to come. The report, released by the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists showed working-age people who reported they were in excellent health almost halved between 2011 and 2024, while psychological distress had increased amongst all adults.
The report called on the government to address and reverse the decline by investing in housing and poverty reduction and education, improved nutrition, physical activity, as well as a stronger commitment to addressing the impact of tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy food. If the trend continues, the report estimates that only 6.6% of adults will be in excellent health, while almost 20% would be in fair or poor health.
How can this be so? What is the point of spending more on education when you know, and everybody knows, what we need to do to live a healthy life? We have never been more aware of how to live a healthy life. We know how to do it. Whether we choose to do it is entirely another matter. Social media provides recipes for those who are on slim budgets. If you think, well, I don't know how to cook, there's Tik Tok and Instagram that will show you how to cook, or YouTube tutorials.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Carrywood and Morning's podcast from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
He'd Be A new report says the health of New
Zealanders is declining and that it's costing us dearly and
in the billions of dollars, with more millions to come.
The report, released by the Association of Salaried Medical Specialist Specialists,
showed working age people who reported they were in excellent
(00:31):
health almost halved between twenty eleven and twenty twenty four,
while psychological distress had increased amongst all adults. The report
called on the government to address and reverse the decline
by investing in housing and poverty reduction and education, improved nutrition,
(00:54):
physical activity, as well as a stronger commitment to addressing
the impact of tobacco, alcohol, and are now unhealthy food.
If the trend continues, the report estimates that only six
point six percent of adults will be in excellent health,
while almost twenty percent would be in fair or poor health.
(01:20):
How can this be? So? What is the point of
spending more on education? When you know, and I know,
and everybody knows what we need to do to live
a healthy life. We have never been more aware of
(01:41):
how to live a healthy life we know how to
do it. It's whether we choose to do it is
entirely another matter. Social media provides recipes for those who
are on slim budgets. If you think, well, I don't
know how to cook, there's TikTok and Instagram that will
(02:03):
show you how to cook YouTube due to our If
you say, but I've only got this amount of money
to spend on food, there are endless accounts that will
show you what to do with meager resources. You might
not be able to afford the finest organic meats. Most
people can't, but there are ways and ways of turning
(02:26):
out nutritious food using the most basic ingredients. There are
free exercise programs for any exercise you care to think of.
You can even walk barefoot around the block. You don't
need special exercise gear or gym memberships, or to belong
(02:49):
to a swimming club or a taekwondo club or a
basketball club. There are so many ways that you can
move if you want to. Why would we spend more
on physical activity when people are choosing not to. There
are accounts that you can follow for free to assist
(03:12):
you in coping with the world. If you're suffering from anxiety,
there's anti addiction programs. There has never been a time
where people have been more open and discussing mental health issues,
where there's been greater acceptance of people who are struggling
with mental health issues, where mental health days are a
(03:36):
matter of course, how can we be declining? It's how
can you not know what is good for you and
how you can improve your mental health and your physical health.
(03:56):
It's whether you want or not is another matter. I mean,
I'm not pointing the finger. I'm looking at myself in
the mirror. I knew the amount I was drinking wasn't
healthy for me, but I did it anyway until I stopped,
until I thought, no, this is no, this can't go on.
This is silly. You're fat, you're unhealthy, you're falling over. Well,
(04:22):
I fell over, broke a bone. Enough, you know enough,
and so you stop. But you do it until you don't.
But at what point? I mean, I cannot believe that
the kids that are going into the dairies before school
(04:44):
that I used to see on my commute, who were
buying the virulently colored soft drink and the pie for breakfast,
I cannot believe that they did not know that that
was an unhealthy breakfast. They know it's unhealthy, but they
choose to do it. So I just don't You could
(05:08):
throw all the money in the world at education programs
until people decide they're worth more, they deserve more in
their life. They are the ones individuals are the ones
(05:29):
who have to decide for themselves that they deserve better
in life, that they deserve to look after their bodies.
And I don't know how you do that. I would
love to hear from you on this. Is there anybody
in the world that doesn't know how to live a
healthy life. It's all a matter of choice.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
For more from Carrywood and Mornings, listen live to news
talks that be from nine am weekdays, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Carrywood and Morning's podcast from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
He'd Be A new report says the health of New
Zealanders is declining and that it's costing us dearly and
in the billions of dollars, with more millions to come.
The report, released by the Association of Salaried Medical Specialist Specialists,
showed working age people who reported they were in excellent
(00:31):
health almost halved between twenty eleven and twenty twenty four,
while psychological distress had increased amongst all adults. The report
called on the government to address and reverse the decline
by investing in housing and poverty reduction and education, improved nutrition,
(00:54):
physical activity, as well as a stronger commitment to addressing
the impact of tobacco, alcohol, and are now unhealthy food.
If the trend continues, the report estimates that only six
point six percent of adults will be in excellent health,
while almost twenty percent would be in fair or poor health.
(01:20):
How can this be? So? What is the point of
spending more on education? When you know, and I know,
and everybody knows what we need to do to live
a healthy life. We have never been more aware of
(01:41):
how to live a healthy life we know how to
do it. It's whether we choose to do it is
entirely another matter. Social media provides recipes for those who
are on slim budgets. If you think, well, I don't
know how to cook, there's TikTok and Instagram that will
(02:03):
show you how to cook YouTube due to our If
you say, but I've only got this amount of money
to spend on food, there are endless accounts that will
show you what to do with meager resources. You might
not be able to afford the finest organic meats. Most
people can't, but there are ways and ways of turning
(02:26):
out nutritious food using the most basic ingredients. There are
free exercise programs for any exercise you care to think of.
You can even walk barefoot around the block. You don't
need special exercise gear or gym memberships, or to belong
(02:49):
to a swimming club or a taekwondo club or a
basketball club. There are so many ways that you can
move if you want to. Why would we spend more
on physical activity when people are choosing not to. There
are accounts that you can follow for free to assist
(03:12):
you in coping with the world. If you're suffering from anxiety,
there's anti addiction programs. There has never been a time
where people have been more open and discussing mental health issues,
where there's been greater acceptance of people who are struggling
with mental health issues, where mental health days are a
(03:36):
matter of course, how can we be declining? It's how
can you not know what is good for you and
how you can improve your mental health and your physical health.
(03:56):
It's whether you want or not is another matter. I mean,
I'm not pointing the finger. I'm looking at myself in
the mirror. I knew the amount I was drinking wasn't
healthy for me, but I did it anyway until I stopped,
until I thought, no, this is no, this can't go on.
This is silly. You're fat, you're unhealthy, you're falling over. Well,
(04:22):
I fell over, broke a bone. Enough, you know enough,
and so you stop. But you do it until you don't.
But at what point? I mean, I cannot believe that
the kids that are going into the dairies before school
(04:44):
that I used to see on my commute, who were
buying the virulently colored soft drink and the pie for breakfast,
I cannot believe that they did not know that that
was an unhealthy breakfast. They know it's unhealthy, but they
choose to do it. So I just don't You could
(05:08):
throw all the money in the world at education programs
until people decide they're worth more, they deserve more in
their life. They are the ones individuals are the ones
(05:29):
who have to decide for themselves that they deserve better
in life, that they deserve to look after their bodies.
And I don't know how you do that. I would
love to hear from you on this. Is there anybody
in the world that doesn't know how to live a
healthy life. It's all a matter of choice.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
For more from Carrywood and Mornings, listen live to news
talks that be from nine am weekdays, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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