The World Health Organisation (WHO) says South Africa faces a growing health crisis as obesity rises and it is affecting millions of people and raising the risk of chronic disease.
WHO estimates that 30.8% of South African adults were living with obesity in 2022. Among children and adolescents aged five to 19, the figure was 7.1%. Obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other non-communicable diseases.
South Africa already has an age-standardised hypertension prevalence of 44.1% among adults aged 30 to 79.
WHY IS THIS HEALTH CRISIS GROWING?
The food on the shelf can shape the food on the plate. Ultra-processed products are increasingly part of everyday diets, particularly where convenience and price matter.
A 2024 study examined 2,521 adults in low-income communities in Langa, Khayelitsha and Mount Frere. Ultra-processed foods provided 39.4% of participants’ daily energy intake. Only 7% met the WHO recommendation for fruit and vegetable consumption.
That matters because cheaper, convenient foods can compete with fresh ingredients when household budgets are tight. Researchers found that participants consuming the most ultra-processed food also consumed more nutrients linked to chronic disease risk.
WHAT IS DRIVING THE HEALTH CRISIS?
South Africa’s food environment has changed alongside urbanisation, changing lifestyles and aggressive food marketing. Sugary drinks, packaged snacks, processed meats and ready-to-eat products are easy to find.
The problem is not simply a lack of willpower. WHO describes obesity as a complex disease shaped by food access, eating behaviour, market forces and the wider environment.
South Africa introduced the Health Promotion Levy on sugary drinks in 2018. WHO reports that the levy was followed by a substantial reduction in sugar used by the beverage sector.
HOW CAN SOUTH AFRICA CURB IT?
Individual choices still matter, but policy can make healthier choices easier. WHO recommends food policies that improve the availability and affordability of healthier options. It also supports fiscal measures that discourage unhealthy foods and encourage healthier choices.
South Africa has also proposed stronger food labelling rules. Draft regulations include front-of-pack labelling for products exceeding specified sugar, sodium and saturated-fat thresholds. For households, the practical answer does not require abandoning familiar South African food.
More beans, vegetables, fruit, whole grains and minimally processed foods can replace some packaged choices.
The bigger challenge is making those foods affordable and accessible. Until healthy eating becomes a realistic option for more households, the health crisis will remain bigger than individual choices.
