Labour MP Jenny Salesa says the portrayal of Maui in the new Disney movie 'Moana' is not helpful to a culture battling with obesity.

Ms Salesa said the character, who is depicted as a heavy, barrel-shaped Pacific Islander with tattoos, is unrealistic, because until recent history, Pacific peoples were not overweight.

She said the movie, like all Disney movies, would be of "huge importance to our young people".

"What is really quite wrong with the imagery of Maui in this instance, if we loook back in history ... Polynesian people were not overweight or obese," Ms Salesa said.

Maui is voiced by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in the movie, who Ms Salesa says is an excellent role model for children, but says that Disney movies are very influential on how children perceive their culture.

"When images and movies ... like this come out, it will actually affect the image that children have."