How healthy is South Africa? We’re pretty healthy, right? Er, not so much.

The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) set out to answer that question, as well as to record the “emerging epidemic of non-infectious or non-communicable diseases” in South Africa.

Last year, over 2,500 respondents participated in the SA National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the results of which were published on Tuesday.

The survey showed that 22% of South African children between the ages of two and five are either overweight or obese – that’s 10% higher than in the United States. On average, 60% of women aged 50 years and above have waist measurements of 88cm or more.

50% of women and 33% of men below 40 years failed a fitness test. The fitness test involved running up and down a few steps.

On the other side of the food spectrum, 33,9% of homes with children aged 10 to 14 have no food to eat for breakfast, and 25% of all households go to bed hungry.

The majority of South Africans that the study shows to be overweight regarded themselves as being in good health.

[Source: Times LIVE]