A nutrition and exercise intervention program for controlling weight in Samoan communities in New Zealand.

Objective: To promote weight loss in Samoan church communities through an exercise program and nutrition education.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used to assess weight change, over 1 y, in cohorts of people aged 20-77 y from three non-randomised Samoan church communities (two intervention, n=365 and one control, n=106) in Auckland, New Zealand. The intervention churches received aerobics sessions and nutrition education about dietary fat.

Heart disease and diabetes risk factors in Pacific Islands communities and associations with measures of body fat.

Aims: To describe the prevalence of obesity and other coronary heart disease and Type 2 diabetes risk factors by age and ethnic group in Pacific Island communities and to determine the associations between these risk factors and body mass index.

Methods: Cross-sectional data from commuity-based intervention projects were combined to provide anthropometric, blood sample and blood pressure data on 1,175 Pacific Islands people (467 men, 708 women) aged 20 years and over from church communities in South, Central and West Auckland. Self-reported data on diabetes status and leisure-time physical activity were also collected.

The impact of modernisation on the diets of adults aged 20-40 years from Samoan church communities in Auckland.

The objective of this study was to describe the food and nutrient intakes of adults in three Samoan church communities located in Auckland, New Zealand. The study had a cross-sectional design and measured usual dietary intake in 437 participants, aged 20 years and over, using a self-completed, 89-item quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Median daily energy and nutrient intakes were calculated and compared by gender and age groups.

Measuring the dietary intake of Samoans living in New Zealand: Comparison of a food frequency questionnaire and a 7 day diet record.

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire for measuring the usual dietary intake of Samoans living in New Zealand. We compared a self-administered 89 item quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with a 7 day diet record (DR) in a sample of 55 Samoan adults aged 20 years and over. The FFQ asked people to report their dietary intake in frequency and amount and included photos of standard serving sizes.