Abstract
Background: Prior evidence shows that inequalities are related to overweight and obesity in South Africa. Using data from a recent national study, we examine the socioeconomic inequalities associated with obesity in South Africa and the factors associated with it. Methods: We use quantitative data from the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1) carried out in 2012. We estimate the concentration index (CI) to identify inequalities and decompose the CI to explore the determinants of these inequalities. Results: We confirm the existence of pro-rich inequalities associated with obesity in South Africa. The inequalities among males are larger (CI of 0.16) than among women (CI of 0.09), though more women are obese than men. Marriage increases the risk of obesity for women and men, while smoking decreases the risk of obesity among men significantly. Higher education is associated with lower inequalities among females. Conclusions: We recommend policies to focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle, including the individual’s perception of a healthy body size and image, especially among women.
Highlights
In 2015, worldwide, roughly 11% of men and 15% of women above the age of 18 were obese [1]
The SANHANES-1 questionnaire is missing a question to distinguish whether the individual lives in an area to be defined as rural or urban and, this information is missing in this study. These results show that pro-rich inequalities associated with obesity exist especially among men, while the inequalities among women are smaller
More women than men are obese in South Africa and the obesity risk among women increases with age and differs by race and marital status
Summary
In 2015, worldwide, roughly 11% of men and 15% of women above the age of 18 were obese [1]. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines overweight and obesity as “abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that impairs health” and classifies persons in these groups based on their body mass index (BMI). Overweight and obesity are important risk factors for noncommunicable diseases (NCD), leading to higher mortality [3]. The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity increases mortality rates but increases the demand for scarce healthcare resources [6]. Prior evidence shows that inequalities are related to overweight and obesity in South Africa. Using data from a recent national study, we examine the socioeconomic inequalities associated with obesity in South Africa and the factors associated with it. Results: We confirm the existence of pro-rich inequalities associated with obesity in South Africa.
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