Making data accessible means more people can leverage its benefits (Image: Getty, additional design: Archi Banal)

PartnersMay 26, 2023

How new tools can build better futures for rangatahi

Guest writer

Making data accessible means more people can leverage its benefits (Image: Getty, additional design: Archi Banal)

How can we use data and technology to create equitable outcomes for rangatahi in Aotearoa? Ta’ase Vaoga, rangatahi insights lead for Te Rourou, One Aotearoa Foundation, explains.

Growing up in Aotearoa in the 80s and 90s, I always knew I was a statistic. One of my earliest memories is seeing my school featured in a Ministry of Education TV advert about how they were sending us money to go on field trips, basically because we were poor. I don’t really remember much about those trips, but had I been given the opportunity to speak up, I’m not sure they’re something I would have asked for. I can tell you now that many of my schoolmates were going to school hungry or with very little to no food each day. And I remember often not wanting to take lunch because I was embarrassed by my own dry peanut butter sandwiches. In fact, I would have much rather not gone to school on those days.

I remember knowing there were possibilities and opportunities for rangatahi

, but I remember also the heavy feeling that the systems in place were not designed to get me there, wherever there may be. Fast-forward to now and I’m working with population-based data to better understand the experiences of rangatahi (young people aged 12-24) and I get to use that data to ensure generations to come have the chances they deserve.

At Te Rourou, One Aotearoa Foundation, we have a vision to ensure all rangatahi have the resources they need to thrive. We work in a number of ways to do this, one of those being through using tech to provide accessible data and research. The project I lead, OHI Data Navigator, is a tech tool and web app providing access to population-based data about rangatahi. Using government administrative data and surveys, the platform provides a snapshot on the experiences of rangatahi and how these change over time, with a particular focus on systems we interact with in education and employment, care and protection (like Oranga Tamariki), and justice.

The Government collects a vast amount of data about the interactions people have with the systems which are there to support us. That’s everyone in Aotearoa – from health services to education, if you can name it, it’s likely recorded and included in the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) managed by Stats NZ. This data is securely held and anonymised; we can’t see an individual’s personal details, but we can use their data to understand from a wide view how people are interacting with the various different systems of government. As you can imagine, that is a lot of data about you and me. Most people would not have the technical or analytical skills to even attempt to access something like the IDI, but that’s what we’re trying to change. Through making the data more accessible with this tech tool, we’re enabling communities to explore useful ways in which to leverage the power that data has.

When I think about what this data can do, I think back to the field trip advert. Imagine if someone had just asked us what we wanted or needed? I might have asked for some appropriate footwear in winter, or a good lunch. With those essentials covered, I might have been able to learn and engage better on those field trips – as it stands, my clearest memory of them is still that TV commercial. Reflecting on my own experiences growing up, as well as some of the disparities and inequities that I’ve since experienced in workplaces and education, I can see just how invaluable this data can be to address the undercurrent of disadvantage and exclusion that is prevailing in our communities.

When youth feel heard, they can thrive (Image: Archi Banal)

There are two ways we work to achieve this: by centering rangatahi voices and by building capability in the sector. I’ve spent hours workshopping and talking with people from the youth and government sectors eager to access useful data but with limited time and expertise to do so. The data navigator is such a simple tool to use and the more time you spend in it, the more insights you can gain. My big data nerd energy comes out each and every time I’m able to support someone to use it; to help them unlock the power of data and support rangatahi to thrive.

But of course, we cannot simply rely on data and supporting tech to do the whole job. While it is a powerful tool, we also need to listen to the lived experiences of those represented within the data – those to whom the data ultimately belongs. We should turn to the experts on rangatahi matters: the rangatahi themselves.

In October 2022 we released our annual Taiohi Insights report based on the 2021 IDI data released earlier that year. This was an incredibly humbling and challenging experience. Having grown up in poverty, I’ve managed to make my way through education and employment systems which often did not prioritise my wellbeing or aspirations, nor take the time to understand them. But while I feel extremely privileged for my experiences, something that became clearly evident throughout the process of preparing the report was that for many rangatahi nothing is improving.

In fact, according to our data, one in five rangatahi nationally are experiencing disadvantage and exclusion. In some regions and communities, it is far worse, with rates as high as 50% of rangatahi being disadvantaged and excluded. A full generation on from my own childhood, our kids are still going without their basic needs being met and are excluded from opportunities throughout the entirety of their upbringing and into adulthood.

We need firm action from all parts of society to reverse the systemic failures of government to alleviate poverty and other injustices which have led to many rangatahi being left without the resource they need to thrive. The age-old rhetoric is still being reinforced that people just need to work harder or budget smarter; cut out treats, grow a garden. The thing is, if the resources and opportunities simply do not exist, it’s impossible to magic a garden out of nowhere, or to suddenly have money available with 4 teens to feed on a minimum wage job. It cannot be left to individuals to address these things when it’s the systems we’ve entrenched in society that cannot shift and adapt to the needs of our communities.

While drafting our report I had the opportunity to kōrero with many rangatahi and those who work with them about their needs and aspirations for the future. They not only confirmed some of my suspicions about what the data is telling us, but they also spoke about the futures they wanted for themselves and their whānau.

One young person in Invercargill said that for many of its rangatahi, leaving the city is “what people need to do”. Another said that if you have aspirations, then you need to leave. But why shouldn’t our rangatahi feel that their aspirations can be met where they are?

They told us that they don’t feel safe or heard; that they were concerned about their mental wellbeing; that they lacked confidence for their future. Their trust was low in almost all public systems – education, care and protection, health and justice. What they told us may not have been surprising, but we must not allow it to be normalised.

Because despite this, rangatahi are hopeful. They have great ideas, and they have big aspirations. They’re hungry for a different future, one where they can feel connected, one where they flourish, and one where they’re mentally, spiritually, and physically healthy. They know what they want and need, they just need those in charge to listen and to support them to flourish in ways that reflect where they are now – rather than being stuck on what worked generations ago.

We all want to leave Aotearoa better than how we found it, but we can’t do that if we don’t have an accurate picture of where we are now. Data and tech like this won’t solve these problems on their own, but when we can say that the decisions we’re making are led by real insight into what’s really happening, we’ll be on the right track.

Keep going!

Illustration: Joseph Carrington

PartnersMay 25, 2023

The scientific argument for keeping meat on our menus

Liam Rātana

Ātea editor

Illustration: Joseph Carrington

With new diets cropping up seemingly every week touting different nutritional benefits and health-boosting effects, how do we know what’s actually good for us? Two scientists who have studied the bioavailability of nutrients found in meat explain why red meat can be a very important part of a balanced diet.

In a world where climate change, food security and health concerns dominate headlines, the efficacy and role of different proteins and adequate nutrients in our diets is a hot – and often contentious – topic. The global population is predicted to hit 10 billion people by 2060, credible forecasts expect crop demands to grow by more than 100% from 2000 to 2050, and overall food demand is also set to grow by 70% over the same period. However it happens, it’s clear that our food systems will need significant reinforcement if they’re to continue to sustain us into the future.

Professor Warren McNabb and Dr Nick Smith are two scientists with considerable form in this field, having contributed to a recently published paper examining meat with a bioavailability perspective – and for its current role in feeding the world. In that paper the two senior staff at Massey University’s groundbreaking Sustainable Nutrition Initiative hosted by the Riddet Institute came to the conclusion that meat currently plays a vital role in ensuring there is sufficient nutrition to meet the world’s needs. This research aligns with the recently published FAO report, which looks at how animal source food contributes to a healthy diet. We looked a little deeper at what’s going on here.

As kids it was drilled into us to to eat our veggies – don’t they contain all the nutrients we need?

There’s no denying that a balanced diet including vegetables will help the body to thrive, but there are some vital nutrients that aren’t found in plants. Vitamin B12, for instance, isn’t naturally found in plant-based foods and is vital for keeping the body’s blood and nerve cells happy. B12 is abundant in animal-sourced foods like red meat, dairy, eggs and seafood. The best sources of nutrients really depends on the nutrient in question: while meat is a good source of B12, there are many other vitamins that must be sourced from plant foods.

Globally, the supply of several key nutrients is heavily reliant on animal-sourced foods. If red meat and animal products were to disappear overnight, there would be a struggle to find adequate supplementation from natural sources for many of these important nutrients that keep our bodies fit and healthy, from lysine to calcium.

The word ‘bioavailability’ seems to come up often in those conversations these days. What do scientists actually mean by that though? And do we actually need to care?

Bioavailability is a pretty classic example of a complicated-sounding word with a pretty simple definition. In basic terms, when someone talks about nutrient bioavailability, they’re referring to the amount of a nutrient which is not only found within a food source, but which can actually be metabolised and used by our bodies.

One of the challenges in building a balanced diet is that in bioavailability terms, very few foods on their own can serve as what nutritional scientists term “complete” protein sources – that is, ones which contain the right quantities of all nine of the essential amino acids that our bodies need to function optimally. According to McNabb, “animal-based proteins are of higher quality than plant-based proteins because they contain all the essential amino acids – in the right proportions.” Combinations of plant proteins can have the right balance of amino acids, but their availability is lower because what surrounds the amino acids is slower and more poorly digested i.e. fibre. Some of these plant proteins even contain anti-nutritional compounds.

On top of that, the bioavailability of nutrients in red meat, such as iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, is higher than in plant-based sources. Smith points out that “the bioavailability of nutrients is an important factor when considering the nutritional value of food, as it determines how much of a nutrient our bodies can absorb and utilise.” This can be an especially important concern for those – like infants, teen girls, women of child-bearing age, pregnant women and even athletes – who may have higher-than-normal nutrient requirements.

The University of Washington study – and Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s messaging around it – talks about ‘countering inaccuracies’ in earlier research. Which sounds a bit ominous! What inaccuracies are they talking about?

For a very long time, prevailing wisdom has held that although red meat had objective nutritional benefits, it also carried associations for a range of health conditions – cancers, diabetes and stroke among the most significant. More recent research into the risk factors, however, has emphatically pushed back against that idea, saying that while some correlations may exist, they’re weaker than previously thought. With that improved understanding in mind, McNabb and Smith stress the importance of taking a more nuanced approach, one which considers the quality and quantity of red meat consumed as part of an overall balanced and varied diet. Nutrition levels also vary between meat products, with processed meat having higher risk factors compared to fresh meat.

That’s reassuring, but what about the climate cost of continuing to keep lamb and beef on our plates?

Farming is a big industry in Aotearoa, so it naturally draws a fair bit of scrutiny with regard to its environmental impact. As we examined late last year, this is another area which Beef + Lamb New Zealand is paying particular attention to – their Life Cycle Assessment project in particular attempts to much better quantify and understand the overall sustainability of how we farm red meat in this country.

As well as giving our farmers and producers a much clearer view of how they stack up against the rest of the world, this research also allows Beef + Lamb New Zealand to identify areas for improvement, ensuring that the industry remains aware and in front of its sustainability challenges.

The amount of red meat you need on your plate is smaller than you may think (Illustration: Joseph Carrington)

But we’re only a small country. How much effect can our production and consumption habits really be having?

“There is enough food for everyone, but it’s not distributed evenly, leading to a global imbalance,” says McNabb. New Zealand-produced foods feed 40 million people every year – and on average each New Zealander currently eats about 15kg of beef and lamb each year – yet there are still people here who go hungry.

Smith says part of the solution lies in adapting our consumption habits. This includes not only reconsidering the quantity of food we consume (“need v. want”) but also the quality and types of food. Reducing the intake of highly processed foods and incorporating more whole foods can not only contribute to a healthier diet, but also mean New Zealand growers and farmers are supported, benefiting the wider economy.

So is it up to me to fix this myself, one plate of locally produced kai at a time?

Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s efforts to promote sustainable farming practices demonstrate how the New Zealand red meat industry can contribute to positive change – but they are just part of the solution. Cooperation among governments, organisations and individuals to make informed decisions and adopt more sustainable practices is needed, say McNabb and Smith.

One of the most useful tools in this change is education. McNabb and Smith hope to contribute to a more informed and balanced global food system by educating people on the role of different foods, including red meat, in sustainable food systems and diets. Addressing global nutrition issues will take a global effort, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start regionally, locally, or even in our own kitchens.