Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 100, November 2017 | Page 14

South Africa’s healthiest
city revealed
Cape Town has the highest number of people who are a healthy weight, plus they purchase
the most vegetables and fruit, when compared with South Africa’s other major cities.
T
his is according to the Discovery Vitality ObeCity Index 2017,
which presents the latest insights on weight status (measured by
Body Mass Index and waist circumference) and food purchasing
behaviour of nearly half a million Vitality members in Johannesburg,
Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth. consumption of sugar, salt, fat and animal products. Ultra-processed
food contains high percentages of most of these products. In South
Africa, sales of ready-made meals, snack bars and instant noodles
increased by 40% between 2005 and 2010. Fast-food consumption
continues to grow, negatively impacting our weight.
“Insights from the Vitality ObeCity Index 2017 allow us to better
understand the amount of sugar and salt in the foods we are actually
buying, as well as fruit and vegetable consumption,” says Dr Craig
Nossel, Head of Vitality Wellness. Says Nossel, “We see a direct correlation between weight status and
health outcomes. People with an unhealthy bodyweight incur a direct
increase in healthcare costs of approximately R4 400 per person per
year. We also know that the purchase of healthy foods has a positive
impact on BMI and the associated risks of developing chronic diseases
of lifestyle.” Discovery data shows that members who purchase
healthy foods have a 10% lower BMI compared to those who purchase
unhealthy foods. The same purchasing behaviour is associated with up
to R2 500 lower health costs per year.
The impact of obesity on individual health, globally, is significant. The
number of people who die each year as a result of being overweight or
obese (4.5 million) is now more than the number of worldwide deaths
linked to being underweight. In addition to health concerns, obesity
impacts the global economy: R16.4 trillion is lost each year, which is
roughly equivalent to the impact from smoking or wars globally.
One of the most important factors contributing to the obesity epidemic
are changes in dietary patterns characterised by the increased
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ISSUE 100 NOVEMBER 2017 / www.modernathlete.co.za
In reviewing the results, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition at
the University of North Carolina, Barry Popkin, says, “The analysis
underlying this report shows that by reducing purchasing of unhealthy
confectionary and convenience meals, and processed meats, a half unit