Nutrition

My mother used to buy fresh fruit and vegetables from the local street vendor to keep me, then a toddler, healthy and active. After work she would find the local, and convenient, street vendor meters away from the office to buy this fresh produce.  However, over time, her work location changed, and she could no longer easily access affordable…, Tips on how to adopt a healthy diet  , Check out the South African Food Based Dietary Guidelines South African Food Based Dietary Guidelines , which explain in simple ways what foods are good for our health. Continuously search for affordable and accessible ways of adopting a healthy diet. Follow health pages on social media platforms which show how to adopt a healthy diet e.g.,…

World Obesity Day is commemorated every year on March 4th. This year the theme is “Let’s talk about obesity and...”. I would like to talk about obesity and food marketing. When I read that over Beverage industry ad spend and airtimes in South Africa R3,7 billion was spent advertising sugar-sweetened beverages  between 2013-2019, I knew something…

“I think I will get diabetes one day,” Maria says, looking away. “My mother, my gogo and my aunts and uncles have it.” “I know I will get it,” Lebo agrees. “In this country, it isn’t something you can escape.” Maria and Lebo, both aged 19 years, are from Soshanguve, a community north of Pretoria. They are sitting outside, watching the queue form…

PRETORIA, 20 October 2023 – Young people across South Africa are stepping up to tackle the rising physical, mental, and economic costs of unhealthy lifestyles by launching the ‘ My body, my health: my wealth ’ campaign today at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Pietermaritzburg campus, to mark the end of National Obesity Week, 16 to 20…

My body my health my wealth banner with a healthy young woman smiling broadly, resting her face on her hands which are on top of a beautiful ripe apple South Africa’s youth are driving efforts to empower peers and create a more conducive environment to live healthier lifestyles and prevent NCDs Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are responsible for…, Urgent action is needed, A five-year strategic plan (2022 - 2027) to prevent and control NCDs has been developed and needs action. UNICEF Youth Volunteer Clubs are doing just that through the second phase of their campaign: ‘My body, my health: my wealth’. UNICEF produced  a study to better understand diet and physical activity trends among adolescents and youth. This…, Small changes are powerful, The local environment can make healthy living choices difficult but, there are ways in which we can improve our health to help prevent NCDs. Plan and pack: be prepared for the day with healthy snacks like fresh or dried fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and a bottle of water. This will help you make better food choices and save you money! Focus…

PRETORIA 04 July 2023 – The need for effective regulation to promote more nutritious diets is critical to create a healthier food environment for children in South Africa, stated UNICEF today at a roundtable discussion on the regulation of foodstuffs. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in South Africa requires …

The food industry has many creatives tactics to get into your head, your wallet and…your body. The marketing strategies used to advertise unhealthy foods are anything but simple but are often quite effective at influencing your food choices. The food industry uses tactics like tracking your digital footprint, pushing out ads on social media just…

The food we eat has a large impact on our health. An unhealthy diet, typically high in sugar, saturated fat , and salt and low in vegetables and fruits, can contribute to the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Examples of NCDs are diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer. These are highly prevalent in South Africa and as a…

The My Body, My Health: My Wealth campaign comes at a time when South Africa has recognised that due to the high prevalence and mortality rate associated with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer, the country’s fight against them needs to be prioritised at the same level as diseases such as…

PRETORIA, 11 October 2022 – The persistent high rates of overweight and obesity, particularly among adolescent girls, is putting lives at risk, as the transition phase between childhood and adulthood is a critical period for the onset of obesity-associated morbidity. Some 31.3 per cent of 15-19-year-old females are overweight or obese, compared to…

UNICEF South Africa has started the first ever trainings on youth advocacy for good nutrition, to empower young South Africans to advocate for the changes they would like to see in their community and country to enable them to lead healthier lives. The nutritional status of children and young people in South Africa is poor. Some 27 per cent of the…, Training participants gather for a group photo during second training at North West University., UNICEF South Africa/2022/Francisco youth-advocacy-workshop ZAF-20220813-094544, Young advocates exchange contact information during networking exercise., UNICEF South Africa/2022/Francisco youth-advocacy-workshop ZAF-20220812-104321, A participant presents their advocacy project to the group., UNICEF South Africa/2022/Francisco youth-advocacy-workshop ZAF-NutAdv-July-2022, UNICEF nutrition officer, Lea Castro, presents an analysis of the nutrition situation in South Africa., UNICEF South Africa/2022/Francisco youth-advocacy-workshop ZAF-20220811-154623, Training participants take a mental wellness break., UNICEF South Africa/2022/Francisco youth-advocacy-workshop ZAF-20220812-110050, Training participant presents their advocacy project to the group., UNICEF South Africa/2022/Francisco youth-advocacy-workshop ZAF-NutAdv-July-2022-1, The first global rollout of the new youth advocacy guide tailored towards nutrition advocacy at North West University., UNICEF South Africa/2022/Francisco students ZAF-NutAdv-July-2022-2, Students at the North West University celebrate the end of the nutrition advocacy training., UNICEF South Africa/2022/Francisco youth-advocacy-workshop youth-advocacy-workshop youth-advocacy-workshop youth-advocacy-workshop youth-advocacy-workshop youth-advocacy-workshop youth-advocacy-workshop students

This report presents the South African findings of a multi-country study commissioned by WHO and UNICEF. The study sought to hear directly from women, and those who influence them – health professionals, partners, family members and friends – about their exposure to and experience of formula product marketing. The study was conducted in urban…