Cape Town - Men and women carrying extra weight do not regard themselves as obese or at risk of obesity, instead they think the extra weight is desirable and essential for their social standing.
This is according to UWC public health graduate doctor Kufre Okop. He said there was a growing concern in the country over obesity. In his research, he highlights excess body weight - a body mass index of over 25 - has been linked to 87% of cases of Type 2 diabetes, 38% of heart disease cases and 45% of strokes in the country.
“What’s more, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has risen sharply in South Africa, a disconcerting spike from 56% to 65% between 2002 and 2012.”
According to his research, women are more likely than men to be overweight and obese.
“More than two-thirds of women in the country are overweight or obese, compared to about a third of the men. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is also shown to be significantly higher in females aged 15-74, 25% and 40.1% respectively than in males 19.6% and 11.6% respectively.”
Okop brought it closer by comparing students of different racial groups.
His research found that black females were more likely to be overweight than their white counterparts. This applied to male students as well. About 49.3% of black males and 74.6% of black female students are overweight compared to their mixed race counterparts; white females stand at 66% and male students at 45.7%.
Analysing body image perceptions in African communities, Okop said a “fat” or overweight body size was idealised for women and men.
“For instance, a newly-married woman is expected to quickly put on weight,
this to prove to the in-laws and the community that her husband is taking good care of her.
“For both men and women, the extra weight that they carry is an indicator of affluence, good health, happiness, beauty and influence. Among men, the ‘big size’ is considered important for commanding influence and power.”
Doctor Adri Kok, a physician practising at Netcare Union Hospital said: “Being overweight, especially for people who carry more fat around their middle, is a sign of a high risk for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, as well as cancer.
“This is called visceral fat, which is fat that accumulates and surrounds organs in the abdominal cavity.”
A survey conducted by the Healthy Living Alliance (Heala), a network of health organisations, found that every six out of 10 people, in the thousand people surveyed, were concerned over the harm caused by sugary drinks to their health and the health of children.
The survey showed that the government has huge support in the sugar tax bill.