Two-thirds of women in South Africa are overweight or obese, our preschool children are among the fattest in the world and a quarter of adults eat too much sugar and fat, but in general we think we are healthy.
Results of the first SA National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, released yesterday, paint a picture of a country at serious risk of diabetes, strokes, heart attacks and some cancers.
The Human Sciences Research Council and the Medical Research Council conducted the extensive research for the first time to record the “emerging epidemic of non-infectious or non-communicable [lifestyle] diseases” and evaluate the state of health in South Africa.
Source: www.timeslive.co.za