BackgroundDietary patterns are linked to obesity and metabolic health.AimTo explore associations between dietary patterns, adiposity, and metabolic syndrome risk in Pacific and New Zealand (NZ) European women.MethodsPacific (n = 126) and NZ European (n = 161) women aged 18-45 years from Auckland were recruited based on BMI (normal weight and obesity) with approximately half in each ethnic group. Body fat percentage (BF%) was assessed with DXA and used to stratify participants into low (<35%) or high (≥35%) BF% groups. Dietary intake was assessed using a 5-day food record and semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, analyzed with the National Cancer Institute method. Dietary patterns were derived using principal component analysis. Fasting blood was analyzed for insulin, glucose, and lipids. Metabolic syndrome was defined using harmonized criteria.ResultsFour dietary patterns were identified: Vegetarian, Processed, Prudent, and Keto. Regression analysis controlling for ethnicity, age, socioeconomic deprivation, energy intake, and physical activity showed that higher adherence to Vegetarian and Prudent patterns characterized by "core" foods was inversely associated with BF% and visceral fat% (p < 0.05). Higher adherence to Processed and Keto patterns (characterized by "discretionary," and less "core" foods, respectively) was positively associated with BMI, BF%, and visceral fat% for both ethnic groups. Every 1 unit increase in adherence to the Processed pattern was associated with 50% higher odds of metabolic syndrome (OR: 1.53 [95% CI: 1.02, 2.30], p = 0.042).ConclusionGreater adherence to "core" food patterns was associated with lower adiposity and metabolic disease risk, while patterns high in processed "discretionary" foods and less diversity of "core" foods were associated with higher metabolic risk.

Purpose: This study explored how the M & amacr;ori food landscape and foodways have changed over the last 70 years, centring the voices of M & amacr;ori elders whose lived experiences provide critical insight into the nutrition transition.Methods: Guided by a M & amacr;ori worldview and Kaupapa M & amacr;ori research principles, we engaged in conversations (k & omacr;rero) with M & amacr;ori elders to explore their childhood experiences, memories, and understandings of food (kai). A life course analytical approach was applied to develop narratives from the conversations, illustrating the contextual influences of M & amacr;ori foodways and shared patterns across generations.Results: Twelve M & amacr;ori elders (60-90 years) described diverse upbringings shaped by place, family circumstances, and access to land and food resources in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Colonisation, land loss, urbanisation, and shifting social pressures reshaped food systems and cultural norms, playing out differently depending on access to resources and social networks. While experiences differed across rural and urban contexts, resilience and resourcefulness were common characteristics, and their early experiences shaped their relationship with kai in later life. Rural upbringings instilled practical skills, food knowledge, and a sense of collective responsibility. Urban migration disrupted these learning pathways: reduced access to land and increased reliance on supermarket-based food systems, limited opportunities for hands-on learning, driving changes in foodways and contributing to the erosion of traditional food knowledge among younger generations.Conclusion: Understanding how the M & amacr;ori nutrition transition has occurred can help inform strengths-based approaches that recognise kai as more than nutrients and support wellbeing for M & amacr;ori in contemporary Aotearoa.

Abstract Objectives To explore how revitalization of mahinga kai practices (traditional foodways) in Aotearoa New Zealand can advance wellbeing, socioeconomic equity, and food sovereignty for Māori (the indigenous peoples). Background Food sovereignty resonates strongly with many indigenous peoples, including Māori, yet its meaning is not always clear. This research sought to understand aspirations for indigenous food sovereignty and identify actionable strategies that can be supported through research, policy, and tribal initiatives. Methods Guided by Kaupapa Māori research principles, the study comprised two phases. Phase 1 involved a focus group exploring whānau Māori experiences of a māra kai (community garden) initiative in relation to wellbeing. Phase 2 examined perspectives and values concerning mahinga kai and food sovereignty. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify shared meanings and practices. Results Three themes identified explained how mahinga kai advances Māori wellbeing: Reclaiming mātauranga (restoring food knowledge and practices disrupted by colonization), Reconnection to ancestral whenua (strengthening whakapapa links between people, ancestors, and land), and Restoration of Papatūānuku (nurturing the earth mother to sustain current and future generations). Food sovereignty was understood not as a return to pre‑European diets, but as an adaptive system that honors tikanga Māori while embracing contemporary realities. Traditional foods remain culturally significant, yet mahinga kai also incorporates introduced species, reflecting that cultural meaning lies in how food is produced, shared, and sustained within Māori values and knowledge systems. The Mahinga Kai Framework: Enacting Food Sovereignty was developed, which organizes principles and outcomes into four interconnected domains: cultural identity, environmental stewardship, system‑level participation, and healthy everyday lifestyles. Together, these domains illustrate how mahinga kai sustains oranga (health and wellbeing). Conclusions Mahinga kai emerged as a living expression of food sovereignty, deeply grounded in cultural values yet responsive to contemporary realities. The framework demonstrates its potential to advance wellbeing and equity.

We examined content posted on TikTok on the topic of kai M & amacr;ori (traditional food and associated customs of the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand) to inform strengths-based approaches to health promotion in M & amacr;ori communities. We conducted a content analysis of 100 unique TikTok videos labelled with the hashtags #kai and #Maori and coded content characteristics and viewer engagement for each video. Twenty foods were determined to be key M & amacr;ori identity foods from this analysis. We also undertook a reflexive thematic analysis of the content of all videos and user engagement from a sample of 40 videos. Three themes relating to the value of kai M & amacr;ori were identified: Mauri ora (kai as an expression of pride in M & amacr;ori identity), Ahik & amacr; kai (a means of keeping traditions alive) and T & umacr;hononga (a means of connecting with Te Ao M & amacr;ori). M & amacr;ori used TikTok to celebrate M & amacr;ori identity by sharing and discussing content about kai M & amacr;ori that was informative and often humorous or self-deprecating. Health promotion in M & amacr;ori communities should draw on the values of kai as more than food. Kai has an important role in strengthening wellbeing through facilitating cultural connections and linking healthy lifestyles with traditional practices like collecting seafood. Glossary of M & amacr;ori words: Ahik & amacr; kai: keeping M & amacr;ori traditions alive; Ahuriri: Napier, Aotearoa New Zealand; Aotearoa NZ: Aotearoa New Zealand; aroha: love; atua: deity, ancestor; ehe: e h & emacr;: an expression of no in Ng & amacr;i T & umacr;hoe Iwi [tribe] dialect; h & amacr;ng & imacr;: food cooked in an earth steam oven or gas steamer; he kai reka tenei: this food is yum or sweet; he t & imacr;no reka: very yummy; he reka: yum, sweet; huhu: huhu grub, Prionoplus reticularis; kai: food; kai M & amacr;ori: traditional food and associated customs; kaimoana: food from the sea including fish and shellfish; kaitiaki: custodians, guardians; k & amacr;nga wai/ k & amacr;nga pirau: fermented 'rotten' corn; kamokamo: squash, vegetable marrow; kao: no; karakia: blessing, giving thanks; kare: an endearment; karengo /parengo: seaweed; kaupapa M & amacr;ori: a M & amacr;ori approach, M & amacr;ori philosophy and principles guide practice; kia ora: hello, greetings, thank you; kina: sea urchin; koro:grandfather; kumara: sweet potato; kupu: word; k & umacr;tai: mussels; inanga: whitebait; mahinga kai: traditional food gathering place; mana whenua: M & amacr;ori people who have customary authority and rights over identified land; manaakitanga: the act of showing support, caring for others; M & amacr;oritanga: M & amacr;ori culture, way of life; m & amacr;tua: parents; marae: a place of cultural significance to gather and meet; mauri: spirit, life essence; mauri ora: strong pride in having a unique M & amacr;ori identity; meke: too much, good; mirimiri: to rub; moana: ocean; Ng & amacr;puhi: northern iwi [tribe] of Aotearoa; noa: ordinary, unrestricted; ora: to be alive, healthy and well; P & amacr;keh & amacr;: New Zealanders of European descent; paraoa: fry bread; patu: traditional club used in warfare; paua: abalone; pikopiko: young fern shoots; pipi: shellfish, clam; puha: a sow thistle green; Rakiura: Stewart Island; rangatahi: M & amacr;ori youth; rawe: excellent; reka: sweet; r & emacr;wana: fermented bread made with potato; T & amacr;: Sir, Knight; tamariki M & amacr;ori: M & amacr;ori children; Tangaroa: the M & amacr;ori atua (god) for the oceans; tapu: restricted, to be sacred, under atua protection; tautoko: show support; Te Ao M & amacr;ori: the M & amacr;ori world and its traditions; te taiao: the natural world; Te Whare Tapa Wh & amacr;: a model of M & amacr;ori health developed by T & amacr; Professor Mason Durie; t & emacr;n & amacr; koe: greetings (speaking to an individual); tikanga: traditional customs or practices; tinana: body, physical self; tino reka: an expression of deliciousness; tino reka te kai: the kai is yum; t & imacr;t & imacr;: mutton bird Puffinus griseus; toa: brave, accomplished, competent; toheroa: large clam;f toroi / whakamara: a fermented dish of cooked mussels and puha; tuatua: shellfish, clam; t & umacr;hononga: connecting with Te Ao M & amacr;ori; tuna: eel; t & umacr;puna / t & imacr;puna: ancestors, grandparents; wahine: woman; Whaea: Mother, Aunty; whakaiti: look down on; whakapapa: lineage, genealogy, ancestry; a central concept in M & amacr;ori culture of identity, relation and connection to people, place, and culture; wh & amacr;nau: family group, including extended family; whanaunga: relative, kin; whanaungatanga: relationship building; whenua: land, ground

Background/Objectives: To assess associations between dietary fibre intake, adiposity, and odds of metabolic syndrome in Pacific and New Zealand European women. Methods: Pacific (n = 126) and New Zealand European (NZ European; n = 161) women (18–45 years) were recruited based on normal (18–24.9 kg/m2) and obese (≥30 kg/m2) BMIs. Body fat percentage (BF%), measured using whole body DXA, was subsequently used to stratify participants into low (<35%) or high (≥35%) BF% groups. Habitual dietary intake was calculated using the National Cancer Institute (NCI) method, involving a five-day food record and semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Fasting blood was analysed for glucose and lipid profile. Metabolic syndrome was assessed with a harmonized definition. Results: NZ European women in both the low- and high-BF% groups were older, less socioeconomically deprived, and consumed more dietary fibre (low-BF%: median 23.7 g/day [25–75-percentile, 20.1, 29.9]; high-BF%: 20.9 [19.4, 24.9]) than Pacific women (18.8 [15.6, 22.1]; and 17.8 [15.0, 20.8]; both p < 0.001). The main source of fibre was discretionary fast foods for Pacific women and whole grain breads and cereals for NZ European women. A regression analysis controlling for age, socioeconomic deprivation, ethnicity, energy intake, protein, fat, and total carbohydrate intake showed an inverse association between higher fibre intake and BF% (β= −0.47, 95% CI = −0.62, −0.31, p < 0.001), and odds of metabolic syndrome (OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.84, 0.98, p = 0.010) among both Pacific and NZ European women (results shown for both groups combined). Conclusions: Low dietary fibre intake was associated with increased metabolic disease risk. Pacific women had lower fibre intakes than NZ European women.

Obesity is a complex, multifactorial condition that is an important risk factor for noncommunicable diseases including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. While prevention and management require a healthy and energy balanced diet and adequate physical activity, the taxonomic composition and functional attributes of the colonic microbiota may have a supplementary role in the development of obesity. The taxonomic composition and metabolic capacity of the fecal microbiota of 286 women, resident in Auckland New Zealand, was determined by metagenomic analysis. Associations with BMI (obese, nonobese), body fat composition, and ethnicity (Pacific, n = 125; NZ European women [NZE], n = 161) were assessed using regression analyses. The fecal microbiotas were characterized by the presence of three distinctive enterotypes, with enterotype 1 represented in both Pacific and NZE women (39 and 61%, respectively), enterotype 2 mainly in Pacific women (84 and 16%) and enterotype 3 mainly in NZE women (13 and 87%). Enterotype 1 was characterized mainly by the relative abundances of butyrate producing species, Eubacterium rectale and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, enterotype 2 by the relative abundances of lactic acid producing species, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Lactobacillus ruminis, and enterotype 3 by the relative abundances of Subdoligranulum sp., Akkermansia muciniphila, Ruminococcus bromii, and Methanobrevibacter smithii. Enterotypes were also associated with BMI, visceral fat %, and blood cholesterol. Habitual food group intake was estimated using a 5 day nonconsecutive estimated food record and a 30 day, 220 item semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire. Higher intake of 'egg' and 'dairy' products was associated with enterotype 3, whereas 'non-starchy vegetables', 'nuts and seeds' and 'plant-based fats' were positively associated with enterotype 1. In contrast, these same food groups were inversely associated with enterotype 2. Fecal water content, as a proxy for stool consistency/colonic transit time, was associated with microbiota taxonomic composition and gene pools reflective of particular bacterial biochemical pathways. The fecal microbiotas of women of Pacific and New Zealand European ethnicities are characterized by distinctive enterotypes, most likely due to differential dietary intake and fecal consistency/colonic transit time. These parameters need to be considered in future analyses of human fecal microbiotas.

Background: New Zealand is culturally diverse and has one of the highest rates of obesity in theworld, especially among women. [...]

BackgroundThe prevalence of obesity has increased substantially over recent decades and is associated with considerable health inequalities. Although the causes of obesity are complex, key drivers include overconsumption of highly palatable, energy-dense, and nutrient-poor foods, which have a profound impact on the composition and function of the gut microbiome. Alterations to the microbiome may play a critical role in obesity by affecting energy extraction from food and subsequent energy metabolism and fat storage.ObjectiveWe report the study protocol and recruitment strategy of the PRedictors linking Obesity and the gut MIcrobiomE (PROMISE) study, which characterizes the gut microbiome in 2 populations with different metabolic disease risk (Pacific and European women) and different body fat profiles (normal and obese). It investigates (1) the role of gut microbiome composition and functionality in obesity and (2) the interactions between dietary intake; eating behavior; sweet, fat, and bitter taste perception; and sleep and physical activity; and their impact on the gut microbiome, metabolic and endocrine regulation, and body fat profiles.MethodsHealthy Pacific and New Zealand (NZ) European women aged between 18 and 45 years from the Auckland region were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Participants were recruited such that half in each group had either a normal weight (body mass index [BMI] 18.5-24.9 kg/m2) or were obese (BMI ≥30.0 kg/m2). In addition to anthropometric measurements and assessment of the body fat content using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, participants completed sweet, fat, and bitter taste perception tests; food records; and sleep diaries; and they wore accelerometers to assess physical activity and sleep. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for metabolic and endocrine biomarkers and DNA extracted from fecal samples was analyzed by shotgun sequencing. Participants completed questionnaires on dietary intake, eating behavior, sleep, and physical activity. Data were analyzed using descriptive and multivariate regression methods to assess the associations between dietary intake, taste perception, sleep, physical activity, gut microbiome complexity and functionality, and host metabolic and body fat profiles.ResultsOf the initial 351 women enrolled, 142 Pacific women and 162 NZ European women completed the study protocol. A partnership with a Pacific primary health and social services provider facilitated the recruitment of Pacific women, involving direct contact methods and networking within the Pacific communities. NZ European women were primarily recruited through Web-based methods and special interest Facebook pages.ConclusionsThis cross-sectional study will provide a wealth of data enabling the identification of distinct roles for diet, taste perception, sleep, and physical activity in women with different body fat profiles in modifying the gut microbiome and its impact on obesity and metabolic health. It will advance our understanding of the etiology of obesity and guide future intervention studies involving specific dietary approaches and microbiota-based therapies.Trial RegistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12618000432213; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=370874International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR1-10.2196/14529

AbstractDiet is considered one of the key drivers of the world-wide obesity epidemic, and the gut microbiota may play a role in this multifaceted disease due to their mutualistic relationship. This study investigated relationships between habitual dietary intake of New Zealand European and Pacific women and their gut microbiota and body fat content. Pacific (44%) and NZ European (NZE; 56%) women (n = 287) aged 18–45 years were recruited based on body mass index (normal versus obese) and stratified as low (< 35%) or high (≥ 35%) body fat percentage (BF%). Dietary intake was assessed with a 5-day estimated food record and a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, which were used to calculate habitual dietary intake using the National Cancer Institute (NCI) method. BF% was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Fasting blood samples were analysed for markers of insulin sensitivity. The DNA from faecal samples was analysed following shotgun sequencing. There were no significant differences in BF% between Pacific and NZE women (p = 0.498). Significant differences in homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index were observed between Pacific (3.4 [2.3, 5.9]) and NZE (2.1 [1.5, 3.1], p ≤ 0.001) women, and between; low-BF% (1.9 [1.3, 2.7]) and high-BF% (3.4 [2.5, 5.9], p ≤ 0.001) groups. The highest (27.6g/d [24.9, 30.6]) compared to the lowest tertile (16g/d [13.3, 17.6]) of habitual total dietary fibre (DF) intake was associated with a significantly lower HOMA-IR (2.1 [1.3, 3.1] versus 3.3 [2.1, 5.3] p ≤ 0.001) respectively. Higher DF intake was also associated with significantly lower BF% (β -0.35, p ≤ 0.001), and this relationship became stronger when considering the intake of other macronutrients (β -0.47, p ≤ 0.001). Alpha diversity; observed taxonomic units (OTU's; rs = -0.15, p = 0.011), Pielou's evenness (rs = -0.20, p = 0.001), and Shannon index (rs = -0.22, p ≤ 0.001), were all negatively correlated with BF%. In contrast BF% was positively correlated with the Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio (rs = 0.26, p ≤ 0.001). HOMA-IR index was significantly higher in Pacific and women in the higher BF% group, indicating an increased metabolic disease risk. Higher habitual DF intake was associated with lower BF% and HOMA-IR, suggesting a potential metabolically protective effect. The positive effects of higher DF intake may be associated with microbiota diversity, as higher BF% was associated with reduced alpha diversity and an increased Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio. Further analysis will explore which foods contributed to the higher DF intake, and associations with body composition, microbiota and biomarkers of metabolic health.

Background: This study investigates relationships between physical activity (PA) andbiomarkers of metabolic health in populations with different metabolic disease risk; Pacific and NewZealand European (NZE) women with different body composition profiles. [...]