If the growing rate of childhood obesity is not recognised, prevented or treated, about 3.91million South African schoolchildren will be overweight or obese by 2025.
This will result in 123 000 children with impaired glucose tolerance, 68 000 with overt diabetes, 460 000 with high blood pressure and 637 000 with first-stage fatty liver disease.
These shocking statistics were revealed by both the Heart and Stroke Foundation (HSFSA) and the World Obesity Federation in light of World Obesity Day yesterday.
It puts a spotlight on the growing epidemic gripping the country and world. South Africa has the highest obesity rates in sub-Saharan Africa, with almost 70 ercent of women and 40 percent of men either overweight or obese.
According to the Department of Health, one in four girls and one in five boys aged between two and 14 years are overweight or obese.
And it’s this demographic the HSFSA was most concerned about.
Parents have the single biggest influence over their children’s risk of obesity. Mothers should aim for a normal weight before pregnancy, appropriate weight gain during pregnancy, and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months.
Parents should introduce healthy eating habits from six months onwards and lead by example to create an active lifestyle for the whole family,” said Professor Pamela Naidoo, chief executive of the HSFSA.
Yesterday also saw the launch of South Africa’s first national obesity prevention mass media campaign by the Healthy Living Alliance.
It launched with a television advertisement, Are You Drinking Yourself Sick?, which was broadcast on SABC, e.tv and DStv. It showed how the sugar in sugary drinks flowed into the bloodstream and led to fat build-up around vital organs.
According to the department, this visceral fat increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Next year, the government will introduce a tax on sugary drinks.
Research by Priority Cost Effective Lessons for System Strengthening SA (Priceless SA) released last year indicated that a 20 percent tax on sugary drinks will reduce obesity by 3.8 percent in men and 2.4 percent in women.
But, for the Beverage Association of SA (BevSA), promoting balanced diets was key.
Mapule Ncanywa, executive director, said yesterday: “As an industry we support the idea that the intake of sugar to the daily diet should be moderated and that education about good eating habits is vital.”