Gauteng Health Department issues urgent warning on obesity and chronic diseases.
Image: File image.
The Gauteng Department of Health has raised alarm over the province’s growing obesity problem, which is fueling rising cases of diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
As South Africa marks National Healthy Lifestyle Awareness Month, the department released recent statistics showing that nearly half of South African adults are living with excess weight, with 23% classified as overweight and 27% as obese.
“In an urban province like Gauteng, long working hours, sedentary lifestyles, limited physical activity, and increased consumption of processed foods coupled with alcohol and tobacco use are accelerating the rise of chronic illnesses and contributing to earlier onset of disease,” the Department said.
In the past year alone, Gauteng recorded more than 67,000 newly detected cases of hypertension, including over 25,000 cases among adults aged 18 to 44, highlighting an alarming trend of younger adults developing high blood pressure.
More than 8.7 million adults were screened for hypertension, with Ward-Based Outreach Teams playing a key role in early detection and referral.
Diabetes prevalence in the province currently stands at approximately 12%.
While the province has achieved a 67% diabetes control rate among patients on treatment, exceeding the provincial target of 65%, health officials remain concerned that many people are still undiagnosed and at risk of serious complications such as stroke, heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, and amputations.
Long-term trends also underscore the scale of the problem, with hypertension prevalence rising from 29% to 49% among men and from 34% to 51% among women over the years.
Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, urged residents to take personal responsibility for their health.
“The rising levels of preventable chronic illnesses are threatening the health and productivity of our province. Prevention starts with each one of us,"
"I call on all Gauteng residents to join our #AsibeHealthyGP campaign and participate in Wellness Wednesdays by dedicating a few minutes every Wednesday to physical activity. We also encourage corporates and private companies to support this initiative by allowing employees time to exercise at the workplace,” she said.
The Department of Health emphasised that maintaining a healthy weight through balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, reduced alcohol consumption, avoiding tobacco use, and routine health screening remains the most effective way to prevent NCDs, in line with World Health Organization recommendations that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week.
Without urgent lifestyle changes, officials warn, the burden of preventable diseases will continue to strain families, communities, and the public healthcare system.
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