WEIGHT ISSUES
State of the
nation for health
C
hildhood obesity is not just a
local concern – it’s a worldwide trend. The World Health
Organisation (WHO) says:
“Childhood obesity is one of the
most serious public health challenges of
the 21st century. The problem is global
and is steadily affecting many low- and
middle-income countries, particularly in
urban settings.”
The WHO goes on to add that
“Overweight and obese children are likely
to stay obese into adulthood and more
likely to develop non-communicable
diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular
diseases at a younger age.”
In August this year, The Human
Sciences Research Council (HSRC)
released the South African National
Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey. This study took the pulse of the
South African population and the results
show that our children are not in great
shape.
A tale of two parts
• 10.6% to 18.2% the number of
overweight South African children
has almost doubled in the last
decade
• 2-5 age group: overweight and
obesity is most prevalent
• The heaviest boys are in
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and
then Gauteng
• The lightest boys are in the
North West province
• Gauteng and KZN had the
tallest boys
• The shortest boys were in the
Western Cape
• The heaviest and tallest girls
were in KZN and Gauteng and
the lightest in the Free State
Ages 0 – 14 years:
• 27.2kg vs 24.8kg : South African girls heavier than
boys
• Boys are heavier and taller than girls until the age of
five and then the girls are heavier and taller.
• Boys living in urban formal areas are heavier than
those living in rural informal area
• The heaviest and tallest girls were in KZN and Gauteng
and the lightest in the Free State
• 7.0kg/m²: mean BMI for boys
• 17.7kg/m²: mean BMI for girls
• The percentage of normal and underweight children
was so significantly greater among boys than girls
• The highest prevalence of stunting was in young boys
and girls 0 – 3 years
• Boys living in the North West, Mpumalanga and
Northern Cape Province had the highest stunting prevalence vs. Gauteng with the lowest
• Girls in the Free State, North West and Eastern Cape
was the most stunted vs. Limpopo with the least stunted
• Boys are more stunted, wasted (thinner) and underweight than girls.
• Under-nutrition is most prevalent in rural informal
areas
• The North West, Free State and Northern Cape had a
high prevalence vs. Gauteng and KZN with the lowest
prevalence.
• The prevalence of under-nutrition among children
younger than 10 years has decreased in South Africa,
except for the 1 – 3 year group which showed an
increase of 11.7%. Severe stunting in this age group
increased by almost a third (32.6%)
The Government’s National Development Plan proposes
to introduce a nutrition programme for pregnant woman
and young children. The rising trended of overweight
and obesity among children in the country as well as
the under-nutrition (stunting) must be addressed.
Attention should be given to care during and even before
pregnancy and the window of opportunity up to around
two years of age.
28 | NOVEMBER 2013 frontShop