DURBAN - A United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) report has revealed that obesity has become a major challenge among the youth, estimating that 340 million adolescents worldwide were struggling with weight issues. This could lead to hypertension, diabetes and heart failure if not treated.
According to the World Obesity Atlas 2022, half of all South African adults were either overweight (23%) or obese (27%) and predictions were that 50% of South African women would be obese by 2030, the highest predicted rate in Africa.
Maria van der Merwe, President of the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA) said that the continued rise of overweight and obesity, despite constant public health messaging to raise risk awareness, points to the fact that we need to start having different and better conversations about overweight and obesity.
“It is time to talk about the impacts of social shaming and the lack of acceptance of the diversity of human bodies. These are powerful conversations that we need to have as a nation where overweight and obesity are threatening the health and well-being of a staggering half of our population.”
Research showed that people who were overweight and obese, experienced a range of detrimental impacts due to a range of discriminations that arise from stigma and bias. The impacts include high rates of depression and anxiety, social isolation, reluctance to access healthcare, avoidance of physical activity and chronic stress.
Van der Merwe said that the distribution of overweight and obesity were impacted by several inequalities, including age, gender and socio-economic factors.
Results of national surveys show that obesity and overweight in women aged 15–24 years increased from 29.6% in 1998 to 39.8% in 2016, while in women aged 45–54 years it increased from 72% in 1998 to 81.9% in 2016. While overweight and obesity rates were lower among men, the same trend was observed with regard to an increase over time.
“People who are overweight and obese fear being stigmatised including within the healthcare system and this leads to delayed diagnoses, delayed treatments, and poor adherence to treatments. We must strive for more supportive and inclusive environments, from playgrounds and workplaces to the doctors’ rooms and clinics. This means letting go of the harmful and erroneous stereotypes and refraining from making judgements based on bias, not facts.
“There are many factors that need to be addressed such as improving access to healthy foods and empowering people to make more healthy eating choices. We need safer neighbourhoods and more resources so that all South Africans can easily include physical activity in their lifestyles. We need improved access to quality healthcare, including mental health services. On a personal level, we can embrace concepts such as ‘Healthy At Every Size’, and contribute to supportive and inclusive environments for people who are living with overweight and obesity,” explained van der Merwe.
Angelika Peczak, Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) Nutrition Manager and dietician, said according to their research, one in three men, two in three women and one in eight under 5 year olds were overweight or obese.
“This places many people at risk of developing other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancers. Living with these conditions is difficult and places strain on the individuals, their families, and the health system.
“Recently we have all experienced the effects of rising food prices. Everyone is buying whatever they can afford. Some still have the option of including nutritious, fresh foods in their baskets, however for the majority of South Africans the options are limited. Foods that are energy-dense, but nutrient-poor are often more affordable and convenient. These foods are often highly processed and include excessive levels of sugar, salt and saturated fat that place the consumer's health at risk.
“HEALA strongly believes that everyone in South Africa has the right to equitable access to nutritious food! Nobody deserves to be hungry or made sick by the food that they consume. Social support grants should be increased to at least meet the food poverty line, giving those that need it the most the opportunity to include nutritious food into diets,” explained Peczak.
She further called on the government to protect its citizens health and nutrition as outlined in the Constitution.
“This can be done by implementing food policies that help change the unhealthy food environment and help the consumer make more informed, nutritious choices. One such is the health promotion levy (HPL) that places a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). This sugar tax has reduced the number of SSBs bought since its enactment.
“A second is implementing the proposed front-of-package warning labels (FOPWL) on foods high in salt, sugar and saturated fat, as highlighted in the Draft Regulated Relating to the Labelling and Advertising of Foodstuffs (R3337) that was gazetted by the Department of Health in April 2023.
“These warning labels will help consumers quickly and easily identify products that are bad for their health, helping them make more informed food choices while shopping, which may empower them to make the lifestyle changes they need,” concluded Peczak.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE