How do Māori navigate advice about nutrition? A review that spans the mātauranga Māori, western science, and social media divides

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Life expectancy for Māori (Indigenous people of Aotearoa) is 7 years less than that for non-Māori. Maintaining a healthy nutrition lifestyle is vital to reduce cardiovascular disease risk and improve overall well-being. Though diet and nutrition campaigns are standard parts of health promotion and campaigns have been developed to target Māori, little is known about the way Māori navigate nutrition advice. This review explored mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and western science as bodies of knowledge for nutrition advice and social media as a platform to disseminate nutrition information to understand how communities get their nutrition advice. The findings suggest that for Māori to navigate nutrition advice and messaging effectively, advice needs to be tailored in a way that is acceptable to a Māori worldview while working within the interface of mātauranga Māori, western science, and social media.