Are South African kids too heavy?

According to the World Health Organisation, the rate of overweight and obese children is growing at an alarming rate. Although this global increase can be attributed to various factors, unhealthy diets and insufficient physical activity are the main causes.

In 2014, Discovery Vitality engaged in a project to determine the health of South African children. Healthy Active Kids South Africa (HAKSA) is based on a project developed in Canada, which aims to assess the health of children.

What HAKSA says about South African kids

The rates of overweight and obesity in South African children are growing. With 23% of girls and 10% of boys aged 10 to 14 being overweight or obese, this is a serious concern for the future health of South Africans. In the age group 15-17, 27% of girls and 9% of boys are overweight or obese.

Despite these startling statistics, significant numbers of children in South Africa are also undernourished and stunted. Stunting is caused by chronic undernourishment, which can affect the height of children and even their future earning potential. In fact, 23% of boys from rural areas in South Africa are stunted. Under-nutrition is most prevalent in rural areas but both under-nutrition and obesity being widespread in the country creates a double burden on the healthcare system.

On fruit and vegetable intake, South African children scored a C-. More than 70% of 15 to 24-year-old children have a moderate to high fruit and vegetable score. This is partly due to government intervention in which the National Schools Nutrition Programme delivers fruits and vegetables to children.

However, despite this positive note, our sedentary behaviours score of F is highly concerning. Children between the ages of 10 and 17 watch an average of three hours of television a day. This amount increases to more than three and a half over weekends. Long periods of inactivity is very unhealthy and can often lead to weight gain.

Tuckshops are significant contributors to the unhealthy dietary behaviours of children. Children are exposed to mostly unhealthy foods at tuckshops and then develop the habit of buying sweets, chocolates, and cool drinks. These sources of sugar significantly contribute to obesity.

South African children and adolescents typically eat 50g-100g of sugar a day. Just one can of cool drink contains up to 55g of sugar and children should be consuming no more than 15g of sugar a day.

Don’t let your kids become a statistic. Healthy kids are far more likely to become healthy adults. Use Vitality benefits like HealthyFood to fill your grocery basket with the most nutritious foods. You’ll get cash back and earn up to 1 000 Vitality points a month for buying HealthyFood items at Pick n Pay or Woolworths. Learn more about your eating habits by visiting a dietitian in the Vitality Wellness network.

Remember that getting your kids physically active also plays an important role in reducing their chances of gaining weight. Kids aged six and up earn 500 points for every parkrun they complete. Get active with your kids and teach them that getting active is great by taking them to a parkrun on a Saturday morning. Members can find their closest parkrun by visiting parkrun.co.za. Plus for the month of June kids earn an extra 250 points for every parkrun they complete!

Find out more about Discovery.