Nutrition Week 2014 Statistics

Statistics show that increasing numbers of South Africans are overweight or obese, with the problem at its worst among adult women and preschool children.  

Quick statistics:

·         Over 40% of adult women are classified as obese.

·         Obesity in adult women has increased in the last decade from 27.5% to 40%.

·         In the age group two to five years, 18.9% of girls and 17.5% of boys are classified as overweight.

·         Over the last decade, the prevalence of overweight preschool boys and girls has risen sharply from 10.6% to 18.2%

The 2012 SANHANES report (South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) states:

·         16.5^%Among children aged 2‐14 years, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was significantly higher in girls (16.5% and 7.1%) than in boys (11.5% and 4.7%).

·         18.9^%Overweight and obesity prevalence was highest in the 2-5 year age group; the respective percentages were 18.9% and 4.9% for girls and 17.5% and 4.4% for boys.

·         16.7^%Among 10-14 year olds, overweight and obesity were again higher in girls (16.7% and 5.6%) than boys (7.5% and 2.7%). While the age groups did not match exactly (SANHANES: 2‐5 years vs. National Food Consumption Survey (NFCS) 2005, 1‐3 and 4‐6 years combined), they were close enough to be compared.

·         18.2^%Over almost a decade, the prevalence (sexes combined) of overweight has increased, from 10.6% to 18.2%, while that of obesity remained unchanged (4.5% and 4.7%).

·         23.6^kgOverall, South African males had a mean body mass index (BMI) of 23.6kg/m2 which was significantly lower than that of females (28.9kg/m2)

·         24.8^%The prevalence of overweight and obesity was significantly higher in females (24.8% and 39.2%) than males.

·         68.2^%The study found that 20.2% of males and 68.2% of females had a waist circumference that placed them at risk of metabolic complications.

·         47.1^%Similar results were seen for waist hip ratio (47.1% for females and 6.8% for males).

·         When compared to the 2003 South African Demographic and Health Survey (SADHS), the study showed that the percentage of people who were underweight or had a normal weight decreased, while overweight and obesity increased.

·         27^%Obesity increased substantially in females, from 27% in 2003 to 39.2% in 2012.

·         39.7^%Two out of five participants (39.7%) consumed a diet low in dietary diversity indicative of a diet of poor nutritional quality.

·         18.3^%Almost one out of five participants consumed a diet with a high fat score (18.3%) and high sugar score (19.7%), and one out of four consumed a diet with a low fruit and vegetable score (25.6%).

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·         The dietary intake of participants in SANHANES‐1 reflects the picture of a country in the nutrition transition and urbanisation.

·         5.26^%On average, South African adults had a medium (5.26) general nutritional knowledge score out of a total of 9 points, with only one in five (22.6%) achieving a high score, the majority (62.9%) achieving a medium score and 14.5% achieving low scores.

·         62.1^%Nearly two thirds of adult females and males (62.1% and 65.8%, respectively) believed they drink and eat healthily, so there is no need for them to make changes in their diet.

·         48^%Almost half (48.0%) of adult South Africans reported that they eat outside the home, and 28.7% reporting doing so monthly, 20.3% more than once a month, and 28.3%weekly.

·         76.4^%The majority of females (76.4%) did the grocery shopping in the household. The price of food was the major determinant (64.5%) in relation to purchasing food, followed by taste (17.5%) with only approximately one in seven women considering health aspects(14.3%) when buying food.