As World Obesity Day was marked on Tuesday, a recent survey revealed that 68% of South African women and 38% of men are overweight or obese.
Liezel Engelbrecht, a registered dietitian and the DG Murray Trust’s Innovation Manager for Nutrition Strategy said the high rate of obesity and overweight people had a significant impact on the country.
“This costs our strained economy over R33 billion per year in public healthcare costs alone. Yet over a quarter of children under five years are stunted, a tell-tale sign of chronic malnutrition. The reality is that these seemingly opposite nutritional outcomes have overlapping drivers on the systemic level, and are often found in the same households, and sometimes even impacting on the same individuals.
"These two expressions of poor nutrition, along with ‘hidden hunger’ which refers to micronutrient deficiencies, make up the triple burden of malnutrition that haunts our country and is playing a role in preventing human development and economic progress. Addressing this requires government, the public and the private sector to work together to improve the availability, affordability and quality of our food.”
Remarking on this year's theme for World Obesity Day, Changing Systems Healthier Lives, Maria van der Merwe, president of the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA) said the systems referred are "the food, government, health, media and environmental systems, which all have impacts on the increasing risks of obesity."
She said: "If we look at the food system and the foods that are available, affordable and desirable, we see that there’s a prevalence of calorie-dense but nutrient-poor foods that are accessible and affordable in certain communities, while healthy food options are scarce or much more expensive. This is a food desert - a failing in the food system that is contributing to malnutrition.
“Furthermore, as we go through our daily lives we are impacted by multiple intersecting systems. So, it doesn’t help if the nursing sister at the day clinic tells a patient to eat more vegetables and exercise if that person is living in a community where fresh vegetables are scarce, and the environment is so unsafe they cannot go outside after work and take a walk in their community. In this common example of multiple systemic barriers to healthy living, the food system, the environment, the healthcare system and the government system are all failing the individual and limiting their hopes of living a healthier life.”
The Physicians Association for Nutrition (PAN) South Africa has this month launched its 'Nourish to Thrive: Overcoming Obesity Together’ campaign.
The initiative, running throughout this month aims to reshape the conversation around obesity and advocate for evidence-based nutrition solutions to prevent and manage the disease.
Dr Nanine Wyma, Executive Director of PAN South Africa said: “South Africa’s obesity crisis is driven by a food environment that promotes ultra-processed, low-nutrient foods. Our ‘Nourish to Thrive’ campaign, driven by doctors and health professionals around the world, highlights the urgent need for systemic change in how we approach obesity prevention and care. A diet prioritising whole, plant-based foods can be a powerful tool in combating obesity, improving public health, and creating a more sustainable food system.”
PAN South Africa called on healthcare professionals, policymakers, and organisations to rethink their approach to obesity care. Key areas for action include:
● Integrating nutrition education into healthcare systems to empower medical professionals to guide patients toward healthier eating habits.
● Expanding access to affordable, nutrient-dense foods in communities most affected by food insecurity and obesity.
● Implementing policies that limit the marketing of ultra-processed foods to children and promote healthier alternatives in schools and public spaces.