Childhood Obesity: The Need for Practice Based Solutions - A South African Perspective

Abstract

Obesity is a complex problem with no simple solutions. In the quest to find possible solutions for this growing problem among children, literature has already indicated a gap between evidence-based research and practice-based intervention (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2008). This chapter will provide a focus on childhood obesity in South Africa, and will discuss the extent of this problem within the complex context of the South African demographics. It often happens that when researchers have published the results of intervention studies or clinical trials, they may walk away totally satisfied with positive and promising results. The challenge however, remains to translate these research results for practitioners to be used as “tools” in addressing the existing problem. This chapter, therefore, intends to deal with practice-based solutions and recommendations suggesting some strategies in this part of the world. In order to understand the problem of childhood obesity better in the context of this country (South Africa) it is important to shortly review the socio-economic conditions that currently prevail in this part of the continent as demographic background information.