Lay summary
Obesity remains a significance and persistent health challenge in New Zealand. While obesity rates continue to rise across New Zealand, Pacific Islander communities are disproportionately affected due to disparities in healthcare and food environments. These concerning health trends are largely driven by dietary habits and limited access to healthy foods. Food neophobia refers to the resistance of accepting new foods that are not within an individual’s typical diet. While extensively studied in Western contexts and integrated into national health policies in several European countries, the influence of food neophobia on dietary quality within a New Zealand context, particularly among Pacific communities, remains largely unexplored. This project aims to address this research gap by examining food neophobia across Pacific cultures in New Zealand and its potential links to nutritional status, making this a crucial initial phase of a broader research endeavour aimed at enhancing health outcomes for Pacific peoples.