Bay of Plenty District Health Board medical officer of health Neil de Wet suggests Bay of Plenty residents cut back on sugary foods to help reduce high obesity rates in the region.

People on the streets of Tauranga speak to SunLive about obesity rates in the Bay.

Neil says the Bay's obesity rates closely follow those stated in a recent report highlighting increasing rates of obesity worldwide showing two-thirds of New Zealand adults are classified as overweight or obese.

Neil says the Kiwi childhood obesity rate of 29 per cent is similar to the amount of obese or overweight children living in the Bay or Lakes area.

Becoming alert of sugary foods, including breakfast cereal, some tomato sauces and lunchbox snacks, in everyday diets can help stop people gaining unwanted weight, particularly children, says Neil.

SunLive went out onto the streets of Tauranga this week to find out what they had to say about the issue.