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JOHANNESBURG – Obesity is becoming a growing health concern facing South African adults and children. It has reached epidemic proportions globally44. Hundreds of thousands of South Africans are at risk according to a major new national survey evaluating the health of the nation.

The survey was commissioned by global research-based healthcare company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and executed by independent marketing insight consultancy, Added Value. The results, released for public consumption this week, found that 61% of South Africans surveyed are overweight, obese or morbidly obese1; 47% say government should educate the population on obesity23 and 46% feel obesity will impact on South Africa economically26. In a regional breakdown, the survey reveals that Cape Town is the worst affected with 72% overweight, obese or morbidly obese people followed by Pretoria (68%), Johannesburg (59%) and Durban (52%)68.

The GSK national health survey assessed certain facts about our nation in relation to general health and wellness, lifestyle, family, nutritional understanding, local socio-political impact and psychological barriers. Jonathan Girling, Vice President Consumer Healthcare at GSK, says the aim of the survey was "to measure how healthy South Africans are as a nation". "The National Health Survey has brought home in stark terms the broader context to the overweight and obesity epidemic we're facing as a nation," he said.

The results of the GSK survey are similar to those of the Medical Research Council (MRC), which also conducted a study in 2003 on overweight and obesity in South Africa. The MRC report found that 56% of women and 29% of men are overweight13. Nearly 10% of men and 24% of women have a body mass index of more than 3017. An astonishing 17% of South Africa’s children aged one to nine years are obese16.

Dietician Celynn Erasmus says many people in the workplace are sacrificing their health to build wealth. "Overweight, obesity or morbid obesity coupled with high stress levels is an alarming recipe for disaster. The more health risks an employee has, the less productive they are! There is a growing body of evidence that indicates that comprehensive, pro-active wellness interventions can improve health – and the balance sheet as well," Erasmus says. She adds that incorporating proactive wellness interventions in the workplace may result in:

• Reduced health risks;
• Reduced healthcare costs and claims;
• More energy leading to better productivity "Get more done in less time";
• Reduced absenteeism and "Enhanced engagement"; and
• Increased longevity which means quality of life combined with quantity of years.

Dr Jeff King, a leading Johannesburg-based cardiologist, calls for a proactive approach to leading a normal, good life by watching your weight and eating a balanced diet. "In five to 15 years an obese person will develop type2 diabetes. Smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular disease even more because it doesn’t allow protection from blood clotting. Clotting causes blocked arteries that will result in a stroke or heart attack."

People are overweight (pre-obese) when their Body Mass Index (BMI) – a statistical measure of body weight in kilograms divided by height in metres square – ranges between 25kg/m2 and 30kg/m2 , obese when it’s more than 30kg/m2 and morbidly obese when its more than 35kg/m2 . 100, 101

A BMI above 32 has been connected with a doubled mortality rate among women over a 16-year period97. On average, obesity reduces life expectancy by six to seven years. A BMI of 30-35 reduces life expectancy by two to four years, while severe obesity (BMI more than 40) reduces life expectancy by 10 years98.

The MRC also reports that at least 60 South Africans die from obesity-related heart attacks and strokes every day43. That is three people every hour, 21900 people every year. In a 2003 WHO report, statistics further confirm that overweight and obesity pose a major risk for chronic diseases, including type2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), hypertension and stroke and certain forms of cancer44. Additional data from the MRC taken from participants in the age group 60-69 years indicates that a normal mid-life BMI has significant health benefits45.

The GSK survey has indicated that 61% of South Africans are overweight, obese or morbidly obese1. And research shows that life expectancy is significantly reduced (anything between six to 10 years) in obese and morbidly obese people99. To continue this trend could result in dire consequences on South Africa’s health, lifespan, productivity and economy.

¹ Added Value, McBeal S2 Survey 2010, Data_File_V1, Table 9 & 76
¹³ Stein, Krisela. MRC Report; Heart Disease in South Africa; Dept. of Medicine, University of Cape Town & Chronic Diseases of Lifestyle Unit, at the medical research council. Pg 17
¹⁶ Goedecke Julia H. et al. Chronic Diseases of Lifestyle in South Africa since 1995-2005. Obesity in South Africa (Ch 7 pg 66)
¹⁷ SADHS; The South African Demographic and Health Survey, 2003: Ch. V; Adult Health, pg 25-26
²³ Added Value, McBeal S2 Survey 2010, Data_File_V1, Table 53
²⁶ Added Value, McBeal S2 Survey 2010, Data_File_V1, Table 50
⁴³ Stein, Krisela. MRC Report; Heart Disease in South Africa; Dept. of Medicine, University of Cape Town & Chronic Diseases of Lifestyle Unit, at the medical research council. Pg 17
⁴⁴ WHO. Fact Sheet; Obesity and overweight. 2003. Available from: http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/facts/obesity/en/ (Last accessed 17 December).
⁴⁵ WHO. Fact Sheet; Obesity and overweight. 2003. Available from: http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/facts/obesity/en/ (Last accessed 17 December).
⁶⁸ Added Value, McBeal S2 Survey 2010, Data_File_V1, Table 74
⁹⁷ Obesity in Adulthood and its consequences for life expectancy; A life-table analysis. 2003; 138: 24-32
⁹⁸ Body Mass Index and cause-specific mortality in 900 000 adults: Collaborative analysis of 57 prospective studies. The Lancet; March 28: 373 (9669): 1083-1096
⁹⁹ Body Mass Index and cause-specific mortality in 900 000 adults: Collaborative analysis of 57 prospective studies. The Lancet; March 28: 373 (9669): 1083-1096
¹⁰⁰ WHO. Fact Sheet; Obesity and overweight. 2003. Available from: http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/facts/obesity/en/ (Last accessed 17 December).
¹⁰¹ Sturm, R. Public Health: Increases in morbid obesity in the USA;2000-2005. 2007 July; 121(7): 492 - 496

^* A sample size of 500 respondents was chosen for the GSK national health survey. Based on a total population of 32 000 000 adults, the confidence interval is thus 4.38 at a 95% confidence level.
Face-to-face interviews were conducted amongst 500 LSM 4-10 male and female respondents in major metropolitan areas: Gauteng (Johannesburg and Pretoria), Cape Town and Durban.
Quota controls were imposed on age, race, gender, LSM and region to ensure a representative spread amongst the urban population that was deemed appropriate for this target market. The fieldwork for this study was conducted by Catalyst Research & Strategy.