Tipping the scale: South Africa is the third fattest nation in the world according to a survey conducted by pharmaceuticals giant Glaxo-Smith Klein. South Africa has dragged itself into third place in the table of countries with the highest obesity. America obviously takes the cake, with the Queen coming in at second and Australia down under at four.
The survey found that more than half of South Africa’s population are either overweight or obese. A staggering 61% of South Africans fit in to this category. Obesity is measured by the individual’s Body Mass Index (BMI), which is calculated by dividing the person’s weight in kilograms by their height in meters. The medical community considers anyone with a BMI of more than 29.9kg obese.
In some cases obesity stems from a person’s genetic make up, but this is no excuse, weight can be managed through a healthy diet and regular exercise, than opting to drastic measures of going under the knife. This survey is surprising, with all the forms of taxations plaguing our country, one would think chances of us being fat are slim.
Perhaps the survey forgot to highlight how fat cat politicians contribute 60% to this rating. Ironically most politicians are SA’s biggest losers and yet simultaneously the biggest gainers; my tax is hard at work adding to their cholesterol levels and waist line. Surely food for thought can’t be fattening, while our government is expected to spend an estimated R400m on party celebrations, families in poverty stricken areas contemplate where their next meal will come from. These are the very same people who voted them into power. Most politicians are greedy cooperate fat cats, so it is not surprising that their own political agendas outweigh the needs of civil society.
But let me not turn this into a political debate, to drop the weight and ranking; we need to hunger for knowledge and change in this country. Instead of munching our problems away, to inevitably find ourselves with a five year suspension away from the lap of luxury, to manage our weight.
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