This is according to the Healthy Active Kids South Africa Report Card (HAKSA) that was released in Johannesburg on Wednesday. It also showed that physical activity as well as physical fitness is on the decline, with more of 50% of children falling under the accepted levels. Another point of concern is that more than 80% of South African children are consuming fatty food and sweetened beverages. 

The report card was spearheaded by Discovery Health and the Sport Science Institute of South Africa, while the North West University played a major role in drafting the report with Andries Monyeki and Anita Pienaar, both from the research Physical Activity, Sport and Recreation entity supplying their expertise. Monyeki says South African children received an overall C rating (40%-59%).

“In brief, the message is that we need to join hands. There should be a partnership in encouraging children to do more with regards to physical activity so that the level of inactivity is reduced; encourage children to eat healthy foods, which should be a composition of fruits and vegetables; and minimize the consumption of fast foods,” Monyeki added.

There report makes use of six grades (A, B, C, D, F, I) and reflects the best available scientific evidence from the last five years concerning physical activity and healthy eating in South African children and youth. It builds on the evidence gathered for previous report cards in 2007, 2010 and 2014.

The report also analyses whether South Africa’s children and youth are meeting recommendations and attempt to unpack factors that contribute to making healthy choices easier. The 2016 report card provides a grade for nine physical activity indicators including indicators such as overall physical activity level, organised sport participation, active and outdoor play as well as fruit and vegetable intake.

The report shows that fast food intake continues to rise and that the fast food industry is growing at a rapid rate. The past five years saw an increase of 10 million people consuming fast food in a month and that the average adolescent consumes fast food 11 times a week, although national school nutrition programmes are proving to be effective.

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