‘Big is beautiful’ — and unhealthy and confusing?

  • Editorial Office

Abstract

Obesity in women from developing countries is a growing phenomenon, even though the rate is still relatively low in certain areas, namely South Asia (0.1%), sub-Saharan Africa (2.5%), and the Caribbean and Latin America (9.6%).1 In North Africa and the Middle East the prevalence of obesity is already 17.2%, not much lower than the 20.7% found in the USA. Thirty-six per cent of urban black women and 25% of rural black women in South Africa are obese. In South Africa as a whole, 30% of women are obese. Obesity in black women is a significant health problem in South Africa and paves the way for diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and certain cancers, all of which are prevalent in black women.
How to Cite
Office, E. (1). ‘Big is beautiful’ — and unhealthy and confusing?. South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 18(1). Retrieved from http://sajcn.co.za/index.php/SAJCN/article/view/88
Section
Editorials, Opinions, Issues in the field of Nutrition