The obesity rate in South Africa is too high

We have an overweight and obesity epidemic in South Africa. According to a University of the Witwatersrand study1, 23% of all adults in South Africa are overweight and another 27% are obese – that is half of our population. Alarmingly, the World Obesity Federation anticipates an additional 10% increase in obesity among adults by 2030.?

What is overweight and obesity?

Overweight and obesity is commonly thought of as being fat – without any thought of the implications beyond no longer being able to fit into your favourite dress or pair of jeans. The World Health Organisation defines overweight and obesity as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a serious risk to our health.

What is the main cause of obesity?

Obesity is generally caused by eating too much and moving too little. If you consume high amounts of energy in the form of calories - particularly fat and sugars - but do not burn off this energy through exercise and physical activity, much of the surplus will be stored by the body as fat.

Why is obesity a problem?

Obesity increases the risk of several debilitating, and deadly diseases. It does this through a variety of avenues, some as basic as the mechanical stress on our joints and heart of carrying extra weight and some involving complex changes in hormones and metabolism.

People who suffer from overweight or obesity, compared to those with healthy weight, are at increased risk for:

• All-causes of death (mortality).
• High blood pressure (hypertension).
• High LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high levels of triglycerides (dyslipidemia).
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Coronary heart disease.
• Stroke.
• Gallbladder disease.
• Osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage and bone within a joint).
• Sleep apnoea and breathing problems.
• Many types of cancer.
• Low quality of life.
• Mental illness such as clinical depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders.
• Body pain and difficulty with physical functioning.

What can you do to deal with overweight and obesity?

Even modest weight loss can mean big benefits. Even a modest weight loss of 5% to 10% of your total body weight is likely to produce health benefits. Here are 4 ways to start losing weight:

Eat healthily

Avoid restrictive diets: Too much calorie restriction can slow down the metabolism. Eating healthy foods lowers the risk of obesity and promotes weight loss. A diet, for example, that has:

• a high intake of vegetables, fruits and whole grain foods,
• a moderate intake of “good” unsaturated monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in foods such as olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, and fish, and
• a low intake of trans fat, fried foods and sugary drinks.

Move more

Our bodies are designed for movement. Moving our bodies daily is so vital for our strength and weight maintenance and mental health. By getting ourselves moving a little more each day, we are helping our bodies and minds function at their best.

• ?Stand more frequently:? The absolute worst thing for joints is sitting for prolonged periods of time. Too much sitting literally cuts off circulation to the joints and the supporting muscles. Get up at least every hour and be on your feet for at least 5 minutes. Also, sitting may feel like taking a rest, but it is actually stressing the cardiovascular system. Standing turns on metabolism, generating a calorie burn that is ten times greater than sitting.
• Ease into regular exercise: At least 150 minutes every week of moderate exercise is recommended. This can be broken down into 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week. For an overweight beginner, this can seem like a lot, but it is important to see this recommendation as a goal to work towards.

Cut down on salt intake

Eating a lot of salt can cause your body to retain more water, which can show up on the scale as extra kilos. But we're not just talking about water weight here. High salt diets appear to be linked to higher body fat—in particular, the kind of dangerous fat that accumulates around your organs and shows around your waistline.

Drink plenty of water

Not only is hydration important for managing sodium levels, because water helps the body flush out excess salt (sodium), it is also important for overall health. Water can be really helpful for weight loss. It is 100% calorie-free, helps you burn more calories and may even suppress your appetite if consumed before meals. The benefits are even greater if you replace sugary beverages with water. Remember though, if you drink too much water, you can cause sodium (salt) levels in your body to be diluted to a dangerously low level, disrupting your electrolyte balance.

1https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/opinion/2022/2022-09/obesity-costs-south-africa-billions-we-did-the-sums.html#:~:text=Half%20of%20all%20adults%20in,the%20risk%20of%20noncommunicable%20diseases

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