The Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa is calling for greater awareness around the dangers of obesity. According to Statistics SA, about 31% of men, 68% of women and over 13% of children are classified as overweight or obese in the country.
In the run up to World Obesity Day next month, Chief Executive Officer of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa, Professor Pamela Naidoo says the numbers are concerning.
“It is very much a concern obesity, we’ve seen an increase in people who are overweight and obese over the years. This is very concerning given the fact that obesity is driver of many health conditions of a negative stature for example you are prone to cardiovascular disease and cancers.”
Naidoo says it is critical to understand that obesity is a complex issue.
“We really need to understand that obesity is so complex. That it is not as simple as judging someone who is overweight and obese by making the assumption that they eat poorly. We have to understand that obesity is now categorised as a medical condition as well because there are medical reasons why some people are in fact obese. And so it is the complexity of the drivers of obesity that we need to talk about.”
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