Did you know that 31% of men and 68% of women in South Africa are obese? Being overweight or obese not only affects your self-esteem, it also leads to heart disease and potentially an early death. This is a big problem, not only in adults but also in children. 13% of South African children are obese. As a parent, you can reduce the risk of obesity in your children by making sure they eat healthy at school.
According to Stats SA, 62.2% women and 25.1% men in the Western Cape are overweight or obese.
Julia Goedecke, a senior specialist for the Medical Research Council of South Africa said that many do not understand the health consequences of being overweight. "People don’t understand it; they see it as more of an aesthetic problem than a health problem".
She said that culture influences perceptions around obesity. "In some cultures obesity is associated with health and prosperity".
What is obesity?
Obesity is defined as being overweight or as having too much body fat – especially in your waist area. A high-risk waistline is 80cm or higher for women and 94cm or higher for men. Once your waistline goes above these levels, it increases your risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The healthy body mass index (BMI) range is 18.5 – 24.9, while overweight people score 25 to 29.9 and obese people score 30 or higher.
How to calculate your BMI.
Calculate BMI by dividing weight in kilograms by height in centimetres TWICE.
For example: 90 kg / 180 cm = 50 and then you divide the answer by your height 50 / 180cm = 27.8
BMI (kg/m²) | Waist circumference | Approx. pants size | |
Underweight | <18.5 | ||
Normal | 18.5 - 24.9 | Men ≤ 94 cm/ Women ≤ 80 cm | Men ≤ 36/ Women ≤ 40 (US 14) |
Overweight | 25 - 29.9 | Men > 94 - 102 cm/ Women > 80 - 88 cm | Men ≥ 38/ Women ≥ 42 (US 16) |
Obesity | >30.0 | Men > 102 cm/ Women > 88 cm | Men ≥ 42/ Women ≥ 44 (US18) |
Why obesity matters
Being overweight can increase your risk of having the following health problems:
What causes obesity?
There are several factors that cause obesity:
How do I fight obesity?
The following lifestyle changes are recommended for losing unwanted weight:
Get more information on healthy weight loss on the Heart and Stroke Foundation website
We took to the streets to find out what people think about obesity