At AIA New Zealand, we’re committed to helping New Zealanders live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives. To achieve this, we are guided by our operating philosophy of Doing the Right Thing, in the Right Way, with the Right People, and the Right Results will come.
JULY 2026
EMPOWERING 5590+ From awareness to scalable action
AS ONE OF NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST LIFE INSURERS, WE ARE COMMITTED TO HELPING PEOPLE LIVE HEALTHIER, LONGER, BETTER LIVES. We are also uniquely positioned to partner at scale, demonstrating how private sector capability can complement public health delivery and strengthen system sustainability.
The 5590+ framework has played a critical role in helping New Zealanders understand that most preventable illness and premature death can be linked to a small number of modifiable behaviours. 1 Evidence continues to reinforce this central premise, and the opportunity now is to shift from awareness to sustained action , embedding prevention into everyday life, communities and systems. This evolution aligns strongly with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) “best buys” – a globally endorsed set of high impact, cost effective interventions proven to reduce non-communicable disease (NCD) risk and improve quality of life across populations. 2 The opportunity with this next chapter is to make clear that prevention is not just a wellbeing priority, but critical national health and wellbeing infrastructure. Every improvement in health quality today has the potential to free up future capacity in the public health system, reducing long-term costs and easing pressure on hospitals and primary care.
1 AIA New Zealand. (2021, October 19) . 5590+, the numbers that will help you lead a healthier, longer, better life. https://www.aia.co.nz/en/onelife/think-well/5590-the-numbers-that-will-help-you-lead-a-healthier-longer-better-life.html [aia.co.nz] 2 W orld Health Organization. (2024). Tackling NCDs: Best buys and other recommended interventions for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (2nd ed.). https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240091078 [who.int]
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ABOUT 5590+
insights 6 , which demonstrate a significant and growing burden from conditions such as heart disease, with clear links to lifestyle-related risk factors and long-term health behaviours 7 . Taken together, this evidence indicates that the 5590+ focus areas remain valid, relevant and action oriented , with health promotion continuing to represent one of the most powerful and scalable levers for improving population health and reducing long term pressure on the health system. THE NUTRITION GAP: Time to move beyond awareness and create environments that make healthy choices easier. National data highlights a clear opportunity to improve daily health behaviours, particularly nutrition. The most recent New Zealand Health Survey shows that only 6.8% of adults meet the recommended vegetable intake, down from 9% in 2023/24, and fewer than half of adults meet fruit intake guidelines.
Originally released in 2021, the 5590+ framework was designed to simplify complex health evidence into a small number of actionable behaviours linked to long-term health outcomes. As part of this update, we have revisited the latest available global and New Zealand data to ensure the framework continues to reflect current evidence and remains relevant today. Latest available WHO Global Health Estimates, which remain the most comprehensive internationally comparable dataset on causes of death, indicate that approximately 89–90% of all deaths in Aotearoa New Zealand are attributable to NCDs. 3 These include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, mental ill health and respiratory conditions, and are linked to modifiable behaviours, particularly nutrition, physical inactivity, smoking, harmful alcohol use and broader environmental influences. While cause and effect is complex and often interrelated, the overall pattern is consistent. Empowering a small set of everyday behaviours could reduce risk for the majority of preventable illness and premature mortality, reinforcing the core premise of 5590+ as a simple, evidence aligned framework for action. This broader picture is reflected in AIA New Zealand’s Claims Compass
3 World Health Organization. (2024) . Global Health Estimates: Life expectancy and leading causes of death (data to 2021) . https://www.who.int/data/global-health-estimates & World Health Organization. (2025). World health statistics 2025: Monitoring health for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). World Health Organization. 5 Ministry of Health. (2025, November 19). Annual update of key results 2024/25: New Zealand Health Survey . https://www.health.govt.nz/publications/annual-update-of-key-results-202425-new-zealand-health-survey [health.govt.nz] 6 AIA New Zealand. (2026). Claims Compass 2025: Spotlight on heart claims. https://documents.aia.co.nz/claims-compass-3/ 7 World Health Organization. (2024). Tackling NCDs: Best buys and other recommended interventions for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (2nd ed.). https://www.who.int/ publications/i/item/9789240091078 8 Ministry of Health. 2025. Health and Independence Report 2024 – Te Pūrongo mō te Hauora me te Tū Motuhake 2024. Wellington: Ministry of Health.
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A STRENGTH BASED POPULATION HEALTH LENS
Healthy eating: A core lever for Healthier, Longer, Better Lives Healthy eating sits at the centre of the 5590+ framework and offers one of the highest return investments for population health. 7 Current New Zealand data shows: • Over one third of adults live with obesity or weight that impairs health, increasing risk for NCDs like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. 5 • Most adults and children do not meet recommended intakes of vegetables, fruits and whole foods , while consumption of ultra processed foods, sugary drinks and high sodium products remains high. 5 These patterns are also directly linked to some of the highest cost conditions for the health system.
New Zealanders are living longer, and overall life expectancy remains high by global standards. Smoking rates have reduced, and mortality from heart and respiratory disease has started to decline over time, demonstrating that collective prevention efforts work. However, nutrition-related disease has continued to increase. 8 Rather than seeing this outcome as a failure, this 5590+ framework update positions it as a signal of where targeted, empowering action can have the greatest impact. Importantly, nutrition is not just about individual choice. The food environments people live, learn and work in strongly influence everyday decisions. The updated 5590+ framework therefore emphasises health focused marketing, education, improved access and supportive environments, helping people feel confident and capable, rather than overwhelmed, when making food choices. This reflects a shift from placing responsibility solely on individuals to actively reshaping the environments that influence behaviour at scale, including affordability, availability and visibility of healthy food. Without intervention, nutrition-related chronic conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes will continue to drive a rising cost curve for the health system, increasing demand for acute and long-term care. Even small shifts in population nutrition at scale can materially bend this curve over time.
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ALIGNING 5590+ WITH SCALABLE ACTION
The WHO identifies 28 best buys interventions that are affordable, scalable and effective across diverse contexts. Several map directly onto the evolution of 5590+: 7
Making healthy choices easier WHO best buys highlight the importance of investing in food choice as high impact interventions. For 5590+, this reinforces a move toward: • Supporting healthy choices with education and marketing triggers to choose fresh fruits and vegetables more often. • Nudging healthy food choices where people make purchasing decisions. • Framing nutrition as fuel for energy, health and vitality, not restriction. • Scaling partnerships that improve access to affordable healthy food through existing retail infrastructure, enabling behaviour change at population level.
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Strengthening daily movement and mental wellbeing Physical inactivity and poor mental health often coexist with unhealthy eating patterns. The WHO best buys promote active transport, recreation and mental health protective environments. 5590+ extends this by highlighting: • The mental health benefits of regular movement and shared meals. • Strength-based nutrition messaging that avoids shame and promotes health and wellbeing. • The protective role of healthy routine including regular activity, healthy food, sleep and social connection. 2
Empowering health Health can feel overwhelming. Understanding key measures such as cholesterol, blood pressure and body composition,, gives us the insight to live longer, more fulfilling lives. While these numbers can feel scary, knowledge and support shift the focus from fear to action. 5590+ reinforces a strength-based approach by supporting people to: • Build understanding of their numbers and what they mean. • Take simple, practical steps over time. Taking more steps and eating more fruit and vegetables every day can have a big impact in the long-term. 3
7 World Health Organization. (2024). Tackling NCDs: Best buys and other recommended interventions for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (2nd ed.). https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240091078 [who.int]
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This next chapter of 5590+ recognises that individual behaviour change is most successful when systems support it. The WHO estimates that every dollar invested in best buys can return health and economic benefits, saving millions of lives globally by 2030. 8 For New Zealand, this means: • Pairing health-focused education and marketing with enabling environments. • Addressing food affordability and accessibility. FROM INDIVIDUAL CHANGE TO COLLECTIVE IMPACT
• Embedding prevention into workplaces, communities and digital health pathways. • Demonstrating measurable system impact, including potential reductions in hospital admissions and long- term treatment costs through improved diet quality. The next steps are clear: small, sustained actions across society to create measurable population health gains.
8 World Health Organization. (2024). Tackling NCDs: Best buys and other recommended interventions for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (2nd ed.). https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240091078 [who.int]
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A POSITIVE DIRECTION FORWARD
5590+ continues to serve as a powerful, simple framework – now strengthened by scalable action. By aligning with the WHO best buys and deepening the focus on healthy eating as a cornerstone of wellbeing, the framework reinforces a hopeful message:
Health is not about perfection. It’s about progress – made easier when people, systems and environments work together.
This updated direction positions 5590+ not just as a set of recommendations, but as a shared pathway for scalable action and a model for collaborative health and wellbeing infrastructure. It supports Healthier, Longer, Better Lives for all New Zealanders while working alongside hospitals and primary care to help prevent disease and reduce long-term pressure on the health system.
AIA VITALITY CASE STUDIES:
A Powerful Boost in Activity The activation of the AIA Vitality Apple Watch Benefit in New Zealand has delivered a meaningful and sustained improvement in members’ physical activity. Analysis of 2,207 members who had been using a physical activity tracker for 52 weeks prior to activating the benefit showed a ~23% increase in points-earning physical activity after activation. Importantly, this positive change endured over time, with activity levels remaining approximately 21% higher than baseline over the following 12 months. 9 These results highlight the Apple Watch Benefit as a powerful catalyst for establishing healthier daily habits, not just short- term engagement. By supporting long-term physical activity, the benefit plays an important role in improving health and wellbeing and advancing our purpose of helping New Zealanders to live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives. Physical activity is one of the most important modifiable
behaviours for preventing and managing chronic disease and is linked to five major non-communicable diseases impacting the health of New Zealanders. Encouraging sustained movement through innovative, accessible incentives like the Apple Watch Benefit demonstrates how AIA Vitality can positively influence lifestyle behaviours and support lasting health outcomes.
9 AIA Vitality New Zealand data. (2020-2024).
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AIA NZ Claims Compass At AIA NZ, we believe insurance should do more than pay claims and should actively support New Zealanders to live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives. In 2026, AIA NZ launched the third edition of its Claims Compass report, focused on heart claims, drawing on claims insights from supporting nearly 800,000 New Zealanders and paying $790 million in claims during the 2025 year. The report highlights the growing impact of heart disease, with $93.5 million paid in heart-related claims.
While we all instinctively know men suffer from higher rates of heart disease than women, our claims data show just how stark this difference is. Claims data show that men experience heart-related claims at four times the rate of women. Heart issues are most prevalent among men aged 40 to 69. This cohort accounted for 76% of all heart claims in 2025 (men and women). Heart attacks and heart disease made up the majority of claims, followed by diagnostic procedures and valve-related conditions. The report also reinforces the importance of prevention through AIA Vitality, which promotes positive lifestyle behaviours that support long-term health and wellbeing. By sharing these insights, AIA NZ aims to raise awareness, encourage early action contributing to stronger, healthier communities.
HealthyFood Benefit: Eat better, live better. AIA New Zealand has launched a new AIA Vitality HealthyFood Benefit, giving members up to 25% off fresh fruit and vegetables every month instore at Woolworths when they scan their Everyday Rewards Card, helping support healthier everyday habits*. All AIA Vitality members who link their accounts and activate the HealthyFood Benefit in the AIA Vitality app receive a 10% discount on fresh fruit and vegetables at Woolworths, increasing to 25% when they complete an AIA Vitality Health Check. This free, short assessment provides a snapshot of overall health, and is a cornerstone of the AIA Vitality programme, enabling members to know their health and make improvements. Through this partnership, Woolworths acts as a supporting retail partner, enabling AIA Vitality to deliver targeted fresh produce savings directly to their members at the checkout.* Global evidence from the established Vitality HealthyFood Benefit in South Africa demonstrates that immediate rewards at the checkout operate as a powerful long-term behaviour change mechanism rather than a short-term incentive. By combining marketing awareness with upfront discounts, the HealthyFood Benefit supports healthier food choices and aims to make healthy eating more achievable and sustainable for AIA Vitality members. 9 Data shows that members who regularly engage with the HealthyFood Benefit purchase significantly more whole foods, resulting in healthier overall grocery baskets. Vitality Global data shows that nutrition habits are linked to prevention, treatment and management of chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer, reinforcing that healthier food choices at scale plays a critical role in improving population health. 9 By utilising targeted financial incentives and behavioural design, this partnership shows how private sector partnerships can deliver a scalable, financially viable model to improve health outcomes. We believe that population health requires a multisector approach, the AIA Vitality HealthyFood Benefit offers an example of a private sector collaboration complementing traditional healthcare by mitigating nutrition-related health risks upstream – improving access to healthier choices where people shop, to drive lasting improvements in long-term health and wellbeing. 10
10 Discovery Vitality. (2024). Decoding the shopping basket: The health impact of our food purchasing habits – Insights from Vitality’s HealthyFood benefit . https://cdn.discovery.co.za/wcm/discoverycoza/assets/vitality/healthyfood/nutrition-research-healthyfood-benefit.pdf [cdn.discovery.co.za] * Percentage discount applies on a maximum eligible spend of $60 per calendar month. AIA Vitality available with eligible AIA insurance. T&Cs apply.
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