Unhealthy lifestyles

The latest South African Health Review (SAHR) warns that South Africans, especially urban poor populations are at increased risk of chronic non-communicable diseases that can be blamed on preventable and modifiable risk factors such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, tobacco use and inappropriate use of alcohol.

These factors in turn lead to various chronic disease processes that culminate in high death rates that are attributable to stroke, heart attack, tobacco- and nutrition-induced cancers and obstructive lung disease.

A South African study conducted in 2000 identified heart disease, stroke, hypertension and diabetes as causing 65 000 deaths per year, suggesting that after HIV and AIDS and tuberculosis, the prevention of these diseases should receive priority attention.

The SAHR authors also expressed concern that these high-risk patients are not being identified at primary health care level. ‘€œRoutine screening for risk factors in all individuals in the health services is poor,’€ they wrote.

In 2003, national data showed that only 18% of men and 22% of women had controlled hypertension while the prevalence of diabetes in 2000, among adults older than 30 years, was estimated to be around 5,5%.

They further identified underlying factors such as increased urbanization, environmental factors, socio-economic and cultural factors, as contributing extensively to the growing prevalence of these diseases.

A study to identify environmental risk factors for non-communicable diseases in an urban townships, found there was generally a shortage of healthy, low-fat food and little fresh fruit and vegetables available. The majority of local shops sold cheap fatty foods and stalls run by street vendors often sold fatty meat and sausages.

Another study reported that although a large percentage of African women were overweight and obese, few perceived themselves so. ‘€œThe belief that thinness is associated with personal problems and sickness, especially HIV and AIDS, seems to be a barrier to maintaining normal body weight in some individuals,’€ the study said.

The authors said South Africa was characterized by a paradox, where obesity in children coexists with stunting and early nutritional deprivation. Both underweight and overweight put individuals at risk for chronic non-communicable diseases in later life.

Young people were found to be adopting bad habits. A national survey among young reported that learners frequently consumed fast foods (38,8%), cakes and biscuits (47,4%), cool drinks and sweets (52%) at least four days a week.

The authors sited an example from Finland – which had the highest death rate from cardiovascular disease due to heavy tobacco use, high fat diet and low vegetable intake –  where a community-based intervention delivered the results.   Community-based interventions address the causes, rather than the consequences of chronic disease, and also focused on preventing the emergence of future epidemics.

The Finland intervention targeted consumers and schools, as well as social and health services and led to policies banning tobacco advertising, introduction of low fat and vegetable oil products, changes to farmers’€™ payment schemes and incentives for communities achieving the greatest reduction in cholesterol.

The intervention reduced cancer and heart disease mortality by at least 56% and led to an increase in life expectancy in both men and women.

The SAHR also found that the nutritional status of South Africans has deteriorated since 1994.

The SAHR authors of the chapter on nutrition found that with the exception of folate and iodine, children’€™s micronutrient status has deteriorated over the past 14 years. Severe vitamin A deficiency was recorded in around 15% of children. This is despite the legislated fortification of bread, flour and maize meal since 2003 as well as the national high-dose vitamin A supplementation programme implemented in most provinces since 2001.

The cause of the significant deterioration was unknown.

The iron status of children had also deteriorated since 1994 with the levels of zinc deficiency found in the 2005 National Food Consumption Survey ranging between 27,3% and 58,5%. Experts have warned that a prevalence of zinc deficiencies greater than 20% called for national nutrition interventions.

Author

  • healthe

    Health-e News is South Africa's dedicated health news service and home to OurHealth citizen journalism. Follow us on Twitter @HealtheNews

Free to Share

Creative Commons License

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay in the loop

We love that you love visiting our site. Our content is free, but to continue reading, please register.

Newsletter Subscription