Obesity, a scourge that also concerns Africa

In several sub-Saharan African countries, obesity affects many people. This finding may seem paradoxical: Africa is the poorest continent on the globe. The daily life of many Africans is harsh: insufficient food, lack of medical care, etc.

It is rare for Africa to be talked about in a subject relating to obesity. And yet, this is a phenomenon that affects more and more countries. South Africa (the most developed country in sub-Saharan Africa) counts no less than 61% of obese adults (ie whose body mass index is greater than 30). This figure comes from a study published by GlaxoSmithKline (a British company, number 7 in the world pharmaceutical industry, established in the United Kingdom).

The causes of this obesity are diverse: researchers suggest that, at the end of their growth, stunted children very often become overweight adults. Doctor Zandile Mchiza, Chief Researcher at the HSRC (Human Science Research Council, an entity that conducts research in South Africa) even adds: “malnutrition leads to obesity”.
Children who have not had the chance to have a normal relationship with food, that is to say children who are often rickety and malnourished; these children may find themselves, later in life, faced with an abundance of food. Growing up, the morphology of these individuals did not get used to this new way of life.

But in Africa, the causes of this obesity also come from social conditions and cultural beliefs: as was the case in France several years ago; obesity can be considered a sign of wealth. In fact, 78% of obese people in South Africa consider themselves to be in good health. When a woman is chubby, then she is considered beautiful and healthy. Doctor Zandile Mchiza adds: “When an individual is not poor, he tries to eat too much”.

Medical experts, logically, regularly monitor this worrying rise in obesity, and the diseases associated with it. Indeed, the obesity that is taking hold in countries already ravaged by malnutrition as well as by infectious diseases (malaria, HIV, etc.) brings with it a lot of chronic health problems: heart attack, stroke , hypertension, diabetes, etc.

As with many Western countries, urbanization and a much more sedentary lifestyle play a significant role. But in reality it is very difficult to establish an overall profile because the lack of data is a major problem. Dr. Mchiza, through a working group on obesity research in Africa, seeks to connect different researchers to cross-check this information (especially in Ghana and Kenya).

Despite this, however, it should be noted that obesity rates in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the associated consequences, are for the most part still very low by world standards. But they are destined to take on a spectacular scale in the coming years; a magnitude that few of us imagine. This is also the purpose of our article: prevent and educate individuals about the causes and consequences of obesity. If you liked this article, or our site, do not hesitate to share it around us.