These researchers evaluated the eating behaviours of 239 obese children and adolescents (aged 5–16 years) enrolled from January 2012 to August 2014 in a community-based obesity programme in Taranaki, New Zealand. Participants had a body mass index ≥98th percentile or >91st percentile with weight-related comorbidities. Ethnicities included Māori (45%), NZ Europeans (45%), Pacific (3%), Asian (3%), and Other (4%). Two-thirds (67%) of participants were reported to experience hyperphagia and half (51%) were not satiated after a meal, 62% were comfort eaters, and 54% had a daily energy intake that exceeded the recommended guidelines based on age and gender. Servings of fruit and vegetable were below the New Zealand recommendations of ≥2 fruit (mean 1.8) servings per day and ≥3 vegetable (mean 1.7) servings per day. Compared with the national average, participants ate fewer breakfasts per week (mean 5.9 vs 6.5; p<0.0001) and more servings per week of fast food/take aways (mean 1.3 vs 1.0; p=0.006) per week. Notably, Māori participants consumed a median volume of sweet drinks that was two-fold that of NZ Europeans (250 vs 125 mL/day; p=0.0002).
