South Africa: Learning from HIV Experiences to Combat Obesity
South Africa is utilizing experiences from the HIV epidemic to address the obesity crisis, with over half the adult population now overweight or obese. Government actions include creating healthier food environments and improving access to treatment. The WHO will support countries with a Technical Package to Stop Obesity in 2025. Collective efforts from various sectors will enhance the ongoing fight against obesity.
Informed by the lessons learned from addressing the HIV epidemic twenty years ago, South African society is mobilizing to combat obesity. Presently, over half of the adult population, with women accounting for more than two thirds, suffers from overweight or obesity. The prevalence of obesity has surged over the past two decades, leading to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) becoming the leading cause of death, surpassing HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Furthermore, the financial burden of overweight and obesity constitutes 15% of government health expenditure.
The early 2000s marked a significant battle against the HIV crisis, during which health advocates succeeded in reducing stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS and ensured access to antiretroviral treatments. This experience is providing useful insights into current initiatives aimed at decreasing the stigma linked to obesity while promoting access to healthy environments and comprehensive healthcare services, including innovative obesity treatments.
Effectively responding to the obesity crisis necessitates evidence-based multisectoral actions, including the implementation of policies that foster healthy environments. This approach also requires the accessibility of adequate healthcare services for obesity treatment. To aid countries in their obesity response strategies, the World Health Organization (WHO) will launch a Technical Package to Stop Obesity on March 4, 2025, coinciding with World Obesity Day.
The South African government is addressing the obesity epidemic with a strong commitment. As a leading nation in the WHO Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity, South Africa is demonstrating robust political will to create healthier environments and pioneer health system reforms. Dr. Jeanette Hunter, Deputy Director General of Primary Care at the National Department of Health, stated, “While obesity prevention efforts must continue, obesity care and treatment are also critical.”
The country has initiated transformative measures in its food systems, ensuring equitable access to healthy food and promoting physical activities. Notably, since the introduction of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax in 2018, there has been a decrease in sugary drink purchases, along with regulations to lower salt in processed foods, contributing to reduced salt intake among the population.
To combat obesity, chronic care programs need to be expanded at all levels of the health system, emphasizing community and primary care. Professor Francois Venter from the University of the Witwatersrand remarked, “The task is now to replan, reorganize and reorient health services.” He emphasized the relevance of lessons learned from large-scale HIV programs to the current obesity situation.
Similar to the HIV response, the involvement of health advocates and researchers is crucial in ensuring a comprehensive, rights-based approach to obesity in South Africa. The Desmond Tutu Health Foundation has broadened its research and advocacy focus to include obesity within the wider context of NCDs. Dr. Nomathemba Chandiwana, Chief Scientific Officer at DTHF, stated, “Obesity is the new South African epidemic, with many parallels to HIV.”
Moreover, the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) has long been engaged in educating the public about healthy living, influencing policymakers on cancer control, and advocating for individuals’ rights to healthcare. Tackling obesity requires collective action across various government sectors, including health, education, and urban planning, and can be enhanced through collaboration with researchers and NGOs.
By uniting the efforts of government, civil society, and academia, and leveraging the success achieved in HIV initiatives, South Africa is positioning itself as a leader in addressing the obesity challenge effectively.
South Africa is actively drawing lessons from its previous success in combating HIV to effectively tackle the burgeoning obesity epidemic. By integrating health advocacy, community engagement, and comprehensive healthcare access, the nation is striving to create healthier environments. Initiatives such as food system transformations, taxation on sugary beverages, and educational campaigns are pivotal in addressing this public health crisis. The collaborative efforts of government, civil society, and academia are essential in ensuring a comprehensive response to obesity.
Original Source: www.who.int
