Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 100, November 2017 | Page 15

of BMI would be decreased, and similarly reducing sugary drinks and
salty snacks would produce a similar impact. Both changes were linked
with replacement by healthier foods and healthier beverages. These
reductions in BMI were in both cases associated with lower healthcare
costs per year. But more importantly, these create longer-term healthier
eating trajectories which promise to have even greater effects.”
Nossel concludes, “While tackling obesity is complex, it is critical that
we all do our bit. As individuals, we need to move more and consciously
make healthier food choices. As businesses, whether manufacturers,
retailers, or restaurant owners, we need to actively contribute to creating
a society where the healthy choice is the easier choice.”
A summary of the Discovery Vitality ObeCity Index 2017 results
Category 1:
Weight Status Category 2:
Food purchasing
score Category 3:
Fruit and vegetable
intake Category 4:
Salt intake Category 5:
Sugar intake
A combined score using
Body Mass Index (BMI)
with waist circumference. The ratio of healthy to
healthy-plus-unhealthy
products purchased at
Pick n Pay and Woolworths
through the HealthyFood
benefit. The higher the
score, the healthier the
basket of food. The average number of
fruit and vegetable portions
purchased per member. The average number
of teaspoons of salt
purchased per member
– determined by taking
into account purchases of
salt as well as of high-salt
foods. The average number
of teaspoons of sugar
purchased per member –
determined by taking into
account purchases of sugar
as well as sugary snacks
and drinks.
1 Cape Town
2 Johannesburg
3 Durban
4 Pretoria
5 Bloemfontein
6 Port Elizabeth 1 Cape Town
2 Bloemfontein
3 Port Elizabeth
4 Pretoria
5 Johannesburg
6 Durban 1 Cape Town
2 Johannesburg
3 Bloemfontein
4 Pretoria
5 Port Elizabeth
6 Durban 1 Durban
2 Port Elizabeth
3 Pretoria
4 Bloemfontein
5 Cape Town
6 Johannesburg 1 Durban
2 Port Elizabeth
3 Pretoria
4 Johannesburg
5 Cape Town
6 Bloemfontein
15