13% of South African children suffer from childhood obesity
Obesity continues to grow all around the world, but childhood obesity has quadrupled in South Africa. Here is what we know.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released its latest global stats on childhood obesity and overweight levels across different age groups.
According to the report – with data up to 2022 – one in eight people in the world were living with obesity. Worldwide adult obesity has more than doubled since 1990, while childhood obesity has quadrupled.
METRICS ON CHILDHOOD OBESITY ON CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
The WHO’s data also showed that in 2022, 2.5 billion adults (18 years +) were overweight and of these, 890 million were living with obesity.
This works out to 43% of adults aged 18 years and over being overweight, and 16% living with obesity.
In 2022, 37 million children under five years of age were overweight, while over 390 million children and adolescents aged between five and 19 years were overweight. This included 160 million who were living with obesity.
CHILDHOOD OBESITY AMONG SOUTH AFRICAN CHILDREN
According to the University of Cape Town’s Children Count program, roughly 13% of children under five years old in South Africa are overweight.
UNICEF’s latest data works this out to be 762 615 children.
The UNICEF report goes on to say that South Africa has the highest overweight levels among children under five in Eastern and Southern Africa.
A SOUTH AFRICAN HEALTH CRISIS
The 4th of March marked World Obesity Day. This is a day where the global community aims to raise awareness and improve the understanding of obesity root causes.
Obesity has become a major health crisis the world over. World Obesity Day campaigns actions that are needed to address the causes of obesity while tackling the associated stigmas.
South Africa is a country with some of the highest overweight and obesity rates. According to the latest national survey, 68% of women in South Afica and 31% of men are either overweight or have obesity.