South Africa Has the Highest Rate Of Obesity In Sub-Saharan Africa
Year on year statistics show that obesity amoungst South Africans is on the increase.
One only has to look at the overweight politicians and police forces to see that South Africa has a weight problem.
Just to confirm this, a study published in the Lancet, which was conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington (IMHE), revealed that the obesity rate in South Africa in 2013 was;
- South African Men: 13.5%
- South African Women: 42%
- World Average: 37%
This goes to show that South African women are significantly more fatter than their male counterparts…
Famously the Northern Cape Premier (Sylvia Lucas) defended using her government credit card for purchasing almost R55,000 on fast food (at KFC, Spur, Mike’s Kitchen, Wimpy and Ocean Basket) during the first 10 weeks of her term in office.
“How would we have eaten if we didn’t use taxpayers’ money?” she went on to say…
Furthermore, this study published in the Lancet medical journal (above) revealed that 7 out of every 10 South African women and 4 out of 10 SA men were carrying significantly more body fat than the maximum amount that was deemed satisfactory in terms of your health.
The figures above just go to confirm a survey conducted by GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) in 2011 that showed South Africa to be the 3rd most obese nation in the whole world.
Just to add insult to injury, the results from the Lancet study also revealed that over 60% of the SA population is overweight or obese which is more than double the global figure for the rate of obesity.
The consequences of the rising obesity amoungst South Africans is that it poses a serious public health crisis as it puts 60% of the population at risk of getting diabetes, heart disease, cancer & other chronic diseases.
This also impacts on the economy by placing additional burdens on the country’s already buckling public health system, the taxpayer and causes massive lost working hours as unhealthy people become more and more unproductive.
What Is Causing Obesity In South Africa?
One of the chief contributing factors to the sharp rise in obesity amoungst South Africans is the Westernisation of the SA diet (coupled with the decline in indigenous cooking) of which fast food, convenience foods and sugar make up a large portion.
For example many South Africans are extremely fond of eating KFC which for many consists of their main daily meal, so if this is the trend then it’s not hard to see why the nation is getting fatter, obese and more unhealthy.
Another cause of obesity is white bread which South Africans consume in massive quantities as it is seen as a relatively cheap meal that they can eat with fried chips and/or meat.
How To Stop Obesity
Unfortunately the soaring rate of obesity in SA won’t be stopped in a hurry especially when compared to the progress made in the US where obesity is also a massive problem.
However, to avert this looming fat epidemic and public health crisis it will take a massive effort between the government & other organisations to embark on a drive to educate people regarding the effects of poor nutrition coupled with lack of exercise.
Eating healthy, nutritional & wholesome foods will not only be beneficial for your health, but they will leave you feeling satisfied without having those hunger pangs.
A poor diet not only leaves you hungry & wanting more, but it causes progressive weight gain (as the food isn’t processed properly & gets deposited as fat in your gut), obesity and causes you to feel lethargic & tired…
South Africans, and overweight people the world over, need to commit to life changing modifications to their diets in order to slow down progressive weight gain and increasing obesity.
Simply put, this means cutting out carbohydrates (especially simple carbs) including the following;
- junk food, eg KFC, Chicken Licken, MacDonalds etc.
- sugars in all its forms
- soft drinks
- processed foods
- white bread
- potatoes
- white rice
- cakes
- pastries
- chips
- convenience foods.
Those who are overweight or obese will be happy to know that their condition is largely preventable and/or reversible.
The diet you eat is probably main culprit as to your body shape & size – this means that a change in diet is required to change your shape.
Changing your dietary habits does not mean you have to eat less, it does however mean you have to change your food choices permanently and if you can do this (correctly) you will notice an encouraging difference in your weight.
It is worth mentioning that to achieve effective weight loss you will have to eat the correct diet for you and one that is extremely popular (due to its fantastic results) is the Paleo diet which is arguably the most biologically suitable way of eating for the human body…
Worried about getting fat & obese?
If so, then Download This Essential Guide To Paleo which could impact your life by causing you dramatic weight loss & a significant boost in vitality…