World Obesity Day (WOD) is acknowledged globally on an annual basis on March 4th. The World Obesity Federation (WOF) and its member organisations mobilise to create awareness about obesity being documented as a medical condition and therefore not to be taken lightly.
Professor Naidoo, the Foundation’s CEO, makes the point that the increasing rates of obesity in South Africa and globally are alarming due to the fact that overweight and obesity present as key risk factors for other non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, strokes, cancers and diabetes type II.
The 2025 theme, ‘Changing Systems, Healthier Lives’, highlights the need to shift our focus from individual behaviours to the broader systems that shape health outcomes.
Ms Shonisani Nephalama and Cari Erasmus, the HSFSAs dietitians, state that the theme highlights multiple systems, including health systems, government systems, food systems, the media, and the environments we work and live in, all of which contribute to the increasing rates of obesity worldwide, including in South Africa.
As emphasised by the WOF, ‘We must also recognise obesity as a complex, and chronic disease, and one that is also a driver of other diseases. Taking action on obesity is a critical step in reducing the global burden of other chronic diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.’
The Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa (HSFSA) and its local partners, the National Department of Health, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, the World Health Organization and the Association of Dietetics in South Africa, align with the WOF and their theme for 2025, recognising the need for change at multiple levels to ensure better health outcomes for South Africans.
The National Food and Nutrition Security Survey (NFNSS) 2023 reveals alarming overweight and obesity rates in South Africa, with approximately 67.9% of adult women and 38.2% of adult men living with overweight and obesity.
As an organisation aiming to reduce the burden of cardio- and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) in South Africa, we recognise that obesity is a major risk factor driving the CVD epidemic. Obesity may increase a person’s risk of having a heart attack or stroke, as well as numerous other health problems, including high blood pressure, certain cancers, diabetes, gallstones, sleep apnoea and degenerative joint disease.
By addressing obesity, we can significantly reduce the burden of these chronic diseases and improve the health and well-being of South Africans. To achieve this, the WOF states that recognising obesity as a disease is the first step.
We need to monitor and track its impact, provide prevention and treatment services in local healthcare settings, and train healthcare workers to deliver caring support.
Inviting stronger government regulations and policies in the nutrition space is critical. HSFSA advocates for policies that support the uptake of healthy behaviours among South Africans, with a focus on creating a supportive food environment that acknowledges the critical role of optimal nutrition in weight management.
Professor Naidoo makes the point that obesity needs to be considered over the life course, as the rates of obesity among young children are rising, posing a threat to increased levels of type II diabetes.
The Foundation is proud to have played an important role in shaping the food policy space. One such example is the sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) tax and front-of-pack nutrition labelling, which aim to reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages that are high in sugar, salt and fats .
The Foundation’s Heart Mark endorsement programme plays a vital role in our mission to create a healthier environment for food choices. By providing consumers with a trusted symbol of healthier food options, we empower them to make informed choices.
The Foundation also recognises the value of regular physical activity to help regulate a healthy body weight. Increasing measures to promote physical activity will have a positive impact on body weight as well as cardiovascular health as a whole.
These measures may include increased public spaces for active recreation and sport as well as fiscal measures to promote physical activity, for example, reduced taxes on sporting goods and subsidies for extracurricular physical activity programmes.
Promoting well-being and exercise in the workplace is a key component to employee wellness. The Foundation’s employee wellness programme addresses key risk factors including lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, obesity and mental health in our efforts to promote a healthy workforce.
Juandre Watson, the Health Promotion and Health Risk Assessment Programme Lead, states that the HSFSA plays a pivotal role in guiding people at all stages of life to a healthier self. This is accomplished through various programs: Mended Hearts and Strokes Groups, community health promotion activities, Employee Wellness Programmes, media outreach and the health chat line. It is essential that the media reinforces healthy behaviours and addresses the stigma around obesity.
The HSFSA, together with local partners, will be hosting a CPD-accredited public webinar on ‘Changing Systems and Obesity: Building Healthier Communities in South Africa’, on 04 March, 1pm – 3pm. The webinar invites the public and health professionals to attend.
The CEO of the HSFSA, Professor Pamela Naidoo, has emphasised the importance of a strong and impactful campaign for WOD as one of the prevention and health awareness measures to protect all South Africans and global citizens.
This WOD and throughout the entire month of March, join the HSFSA in keeping the discussion going in understanding the complexity of obesity, while advocating for a change in key systems to ensure healthier lives for all!
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Picture: World Obesity Federation / Facebook
