Growing obesity in Cameroon and Africa
Obesity is a known problem in Western countries. And it is often difficult for some to imagine that this problem also affects Africa and countries like Cameroon.
In an interview conducted by VoxAfrica, a major African television channel, Adidja AMANI, Doctor of Public Health in Cameroon , is asked about growing obesity in Africa. She evokes the reasons for this epidemic, in particular with regard to her country.
A surprising finding, and little-known methods
Africa has few obese people in popular belief. This is true in some countries like Ethiopia for example, where the obesity rate is only 1.6% (ie the 4th least affected country in the world).
But this observation is not true for everyone. Egypt (46.3% obesity), South Africa (42.8% obesity) or even Libya (21.8% obesity) for example, are particularly affected States (1 ) .
Cameroon is not to be outdone with 14.1% obesity among women (2) according to the World Health Organization. Some studies even speak of an obesity rate closer to 20% (3) .
Nearly 10% of children under 5 in this country are affected by obesity.
In his interview, Doctor AMANI recalls how to use the BMI (Body Mass Index) and how to interpret it: an indicator that remains relatively unknown in the country and that citizens do not really use.
It also indicates that it is possible to use a simpler measure than BMI, which does not require manual calculation. For this, measuring the waistline with a tape measure is sufficient and the Doctor’s recommendations are:
- Waist circumference less than 88cm in women
- Waist circumference must be less than 102cm in men
Measurements that correspond to those that we present in our file on ideal measurements and that are generally accepted internationally.
Why is obesity rampant in Africa?
Obesity in Africa is often misunderstood by Westerners. This is explained by the economic disparities of these countries: if many inhabitants of Africa are still poor and if the country is still among the last ( 144th out of 177) as regards the classification of the standard of living, there however , there are more and more households that can live properly . These households have easier access to “junk food”
According to Doctor Adidja AMANI who speaks in the video, obesity in Africa is increasingly explained by food. She says that in Cameroon, for example, eating Western food is often seen as “cool” . For example, she points to fast food, which is too fatty and not nutritious enough, as well as the growing consumption of beer in the country.
It is above all food, according to the Doctor, which explains this phenomenon in Africa. A diet that is increasingly inspired by Western habits, now more widespread in Africa due to an average standard of living that continues to climb and due to globalization (easier access to certain foodstuffs).
What to do ?
Physical activity is the first point mentioned by the Doctor. And that in front of the regimes. It recommends doing a minimum of 150 minutes of sporting activity per week. This can for example take the form of half an hour of exercise per day. This kind of recommendation is obviously to be modulated with the diet. In general, the Doctor recalls a simple observation: you must expend at least as much energy as you consume in calories.
Sleep also plays an important role: sleeping well is important. Just like eating too late: a situation in which the brain will not have been able to consume the ingested carbohydrates (which will then quickly turn into fat).
In Cameroon, a supposedly slimming drink (3Z/H) hitherto banned from commercial use made headlines at the end of 2013, when its ban on sale was lifted: the drink is now available and sold in certain shops. Is this a kind of admission and a step closer to the obesity problems of the country and the continent? What actions will enable Africa to avoid the scourge of obesity?
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.