Healthy Food Beyond the Purse of South African Families
Healthy food is too expensive for many South African families increasing the risks of poor health from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic respiratory diseases and obesity. These account for over half (51 percent) of all death in South Africa, according to Professor Rina Swart, from the University of the Western Cape (UWC).
Lower income populations struggle to access nutritional and healthy foods as they are more expensive than unhealthy products, explained Prof. Swart. This makes them more vulnerable to NCDs.
Dr Jane Battersby from the African Centre for Cities added: “COVID-19 has revealed just how little we understand our food system and how vulnerable local systems are and how costly NCDs are to society. Thinking on food policies can be central as we seek to rebuild our economy and improve public health,” she said.
The challenge is exacerbated by the powerful forces of the food industry in South Africa and how food companies shape public health policy in their favour.
Advocacy Action: How much say do patient groups concerned about NCDs have in public health policy in your country? Can you help to involve them more? What about the views of the medical profession and health economists? Could they be involved more to balance up where there are powerful vested interests? https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/how-sa-food-companies-shape-public-health-policy-in-their-favour-obesity/