Julia Goedecke, a senior specialist for the Medical Research Council of South Africa said that many do not understand the health consequences of being overweight. "People don’t understand it; they see it as more of an aesthetic problem than a health problem".

She said that culture influences perceptions around obesity. "In some cultures obesity is associated with health and prosperity".

Did you know that 31% of men and 68% of women in South Africa are obese? Being overweight or obese not only affects your self-esteem, it also leads to heart disease and potentially an early death. This is a big problem, not only in adults but also in children.

According to Stats SA, 62.2% women and 25.1% men in the Western Cape are overweight or obese. 

Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) Fact Sheet on Obesity and Cancer

In South Africa, where under-nutrition, poverty and infectious diseases (such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis), are realities, the problem of obesity could be viewed as less pressing. However, obesity and its co-morbidities negatively affect the lives of many South Africans and the consequent burden of disease contributes to the increasing cost of health care, both at a state level and in the private sector (Medical Research Council, South Africa). [Picture Credit: Obesity 2] According to a study by the National Department of Health, more than half of South African women are overweight or obese, with the figure for Black women nearly 60%. Fat intake among Blacks has jumped almost 65% since 1940, when records first started being kept. Obesity-related diseases like hypertension and diabetes are spiralling. More South African adults now die from obesity than from poverty (Health Systems Trust). In a recent survey conducted by the SA Medical Research Council, it was found that 61% of the South African population is overweight, obese or morbidly obese. In addition, 70% of all South African women over the age of 35 were overweight or obese with 33% of Black women exposed to this risk and 25% of Coloured, White and Asian women following suit. 

In contrast, 18% of White men over the age of 35 are obese, followed by 9% percent of Asian, 8% percent of Coloured, and 6% of Black men. With an estimated 2,8 million people annually dying as a result of being overweight or obese, it is time for South Africans to take stock, says the SelfMedication Association of South Africa (SMASA)

According to a 2018 study, local researchers from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)‚ University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)‚ and international researchers from Denmark and England analysed the body mass index (BMI) of South African children‚ adolescents and young adults from 2008 to 2015. The number of young South Africans suffering from obesity doubled in six years while this took 13 years to happen in the United States.

This research was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology in December 2018. Obesity is linked to non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease and hypertension, which are among the top 10 causes of death in South Africa (Gboyega A Ogunbanjo).

According to the World Health Organization, 2015:

South Africa’s obesity ranking - 24th in the world Overall mean BMI - 27.3 Female obesity ranking - 23rd Female mean BMI - 29.1 Male obesity ranking - 110th Male mean BMI - 25.4 Defining Being Overweight and/or Obese Overweight and obesity are both labels for ranges of weight that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height. The terms also identify ranges of weight that have been shown to increase the likelihood of various diseases and other health problems. For adults, overweight and obesity ranges are determined by using weight and height to calculate a number called the body mass index (BMI). BMI is used because, for most people, it correlates with the amount of body fat.

• An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight

An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese

Devised between 1830 and 1850 by the Belgian Adolphe Quetelet during the course of developing ‘social physics’, BMI is defined as the individual's body mass divided by the square of their height – with the value universally being given in units of kg/m2 . (Wikipedia).

One important category of obesity not captured by BMI is so-called ‘abdominal obesity’ - the extra fat found around the middle that is an important factor in health, even independent of BMI. The simplest and most often used measure of abdominal obesity is waist size. Guidelines generally define abdominal obesity in women as a waist size 89cm or higher, and in men as a waist size of 101cm or higher.

Overweight and obesity happen over time when a person takes in more calories than what is used Causes include: An Inactive Lifestyle - Many South Africans are not very physically active. One reason for this is that many people spend hours in front of TVs and computers doing work, schoolwork, and leisure activities. In fact, more than 2 hours a day of regular TV viewing time has been linked to overweight and obesity.

Reasons for not being active include: relying on cars instead of walking, fewer physical demands at work or at home because of modern technology and conveniences and lack of physical education classes in schools. People who are inactive are more likely to gain weight because they do not burn the calories that they take in from food and drinks. An inactive lifestyle also raises the risk for coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, various cancers and other health problems. Environment - Most environments do not support healthy lifestyle habits; in fact, it encourages obesity. Some examples include:

• Lack of neighbourhood sidewalks and safe places for recreation - not having area parks, trails, sidewalks, and affordable gyms makes it hard for people to be physically active
• Work schedules - people often say that they do not have time to be physically active because of long work hours and time spent commuting
• Oversized food portions - many individuals are exposed to huge food portions in restaurants, fast food places, movie theatres, supermarkets and even at home. Some of these meals and snacks can feed two or more people. Eating large portions means too much energy IN. Over time, this will cause weight gain if it is not balanced with physical activity
• Lack of access to healthy foods - some people do not live in neighbourhoods that have supermarkets that sell healthy foods, such as fresh fruits (in season) and vegetables. Or, for some people, these healthy foods are too costly
• Food advertising - most communities are surrounded by advertisements from food companies. Often children are the targets of advertising for high-calorie, high-fat snacks and sugary drinks. The goal of these advertisements is to sway people to buy these high-calorie foods.

Download Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) Fact Sheet on Obesity and Cancer