The National Food and Nutrition Commission has warned of rising cases of overweight and obesity among Zambian women.
Acting Commission Director Musonda Mofu revealed that a recent study undertaken by the Commission showed that about 10-14 percent of Zambian women are overweight and obese.
Mr Mofu said the situation is worrying because Zambia does not have capacity to manage consequences of obesity among its population.
“As a nation, we have been battling with under nutrition especially for children under the age of five. The emerging cases of obesity especially among the women folk is worrying because as a nation we don’t have capacity to manage the health and economic risks that come with obesity,” Mr Musonda said.
He added, “What is important to note is that these same women who are becoming over weight have children who are under nourished. So they are over feeding themselves but they are not providing adequate nutrition to their children.”
Mr Mofu blamed the rise in cases of overweight and obesity to poor eating habits among women.
“What we are seeing is a new trend where women are consuming more alcohol and fast foods. Most of this alcohol has some Sugar and that adds to the fatty acids in the body which contributes to obesity,” he said.
Mr Mofu has since appealed to Zambian women to adopt healthier lifestyles and eating more traditional meals that are low on fat.
And yet you the same people say that there is hunger and poverty under the able leadership of His Excellency the President Mr. Micheal Chilufya Sata.
stop bringing these franchises like KFC, McDonalds, steers etc who keep selling processed meat. Lets stick to our old ways of eating village chicken not broilers which are given steroids. Eat natural foods. You can tell how healthy you are eating by looking at your amafi. amafi should float in water mu toilet noti i.tufi ile ibila mumenshi amafi should not have terrible stench etc. these are simple things we can examine for ourselves. Imbushi nga y.anya ama.fi tayanunka sana tefyo? you can even eat akabwali buti ninshi yena imbushi nainya mupepi. And you girls pa zed, you like being taken out to eat these junk foods, thats why muleonaukila. when a guy takes you pa city market ukulya akabwali ninshi mwamusula kanofye fi KFC,Steers. stop it!!!there is racism on your plates too,be watchful
Zambian bit*ches don’t know anything about exercise. All they know is Jaribu and Brazilian hair.
The other problem is fat is associated with wealth in Zambia and beauty too. Zambian men believe in big butts and hips hence trapping these women into diabetes, heart disease and all the obesity related diseases.
On the other hand, KFC and other fast foods are also contributing. With poor healthcare in Zambia, expect more young deaths!
Unfortunately being Fat is a sign of being well married in Zambia. They are good looking before you marry them and when you do they let loose and gain weight just to prove to society the marriage is okay. Its a poverty mentality and that’s the reason why even greetings are by food ( mwadyela or mwalila). Men also ought to know that a pot belly is a sign of not being healthy. We need to start making healthy choices to avoid the consequences of High blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
1.2
+300 I learnt something there and if it is true what an ignorant state zambia is
Thanks
Zambian women eat too much you only have to look at the facebook pictures of those women in diaspora from the time the arrived to today.
TRUTH: When i got married 25 years ago, my wife was a beautiful medium bodied woman. Today she has no shape to admire. she is just too fat for me to handle in the production room. I always show her our pics at the time she was manageable. One thing is that she drinks too much beer–mosi. i do not drink. However i enjoy the big bums and she is very funny. Together we have four beautiful daughters 2 at UNZA
hahahahahahahahahahaha
Which normal man marries a fat woman? Stop drinking and eating too much you have too much competition from the girl friend association of Zambia ( ATMs).
Exactly my thoughts. Besides, who wants a single styled big mama for lifetime partner. BS.
Which normal woman marries a guy with a pot belly like yours?
@Sarah… A lot more than those that marry fat women, that’s for sure.
It is not Obesity guys, ARVs have the tendency to make someone look fat when they are just a shell.
Back me up Mushota, you look overweight too. But we know…
Stop it please
Thanks
@Mushoto. Your @rse is too fat. You’re the one who should stop it!
Silly.
LT, did you get permission of the woman in the picture above to use as an example of obese women in Zambia? Someone may be big in appearance but may not be obese. So be careful how you use photos, as some people may be offended.
You are right, she may even take legal action. This is a sensitive topic and they would do well to pull it down if permission was not sought
LT I hope that lady takes you to the cleaners…that’s when you will wake up and start proof reading and editing photos. All you would have done there is cut the head off.
LT should have used Christine Kaseba’s photos. She also appears overweight despite being a doctor. What a bad example…
people you have missed the point, not only food but birth control pills also.
Fi tunka amafi…. filanyopola.
This social scientist was born at UTH and conducts a survay in Jesmondine and Roma because he thinks Zambia is Lusaka. cast your sample space wide. Go to sikongo, Magodi, Kalisowe, Kawalala vge, Muba ngombe vge, Nkuzi vge . Qualify your findings.
Wamusapulula alitumpa. Zambia has the thinnest population in Southern Africa
@ Sata
It’s just that things are changing due to western influence but trust me in Africa culture, women with big bodies were considered more beautiful than the microscopic one. In certain parts of Africa, on average, a man would go for a “double diff” lady. Over the years, we have embraced the western values which equate “slenderness” with beauty. Obesity is also relative, and probably there’s much definitive line. In conclusion, it’s an individual’s choice whether to go for slenderness or the double diff
I would not go for an unstructured double diff woman but a structured one and at the same time I cant go for a skinny lady. However one thing to understand is that no one had a choice of how they should look when they were born and when it comes to love its preferences. Hold it there, see that some people just get fat not from over eating while others eat a lot with less exercises but without getting fat either, therefore making the basic laws of thermodynamics fake.
most of them are obese because their maids do everything for them including sexual favours to their husbands. meaning they dont have time to burn the fat in their bodies. Its sad.
I like the comparison or contrast of obesity and malnutrition. This reminds me of child marriage, bachelors, single women and cohabiting. Yes there is a problem of child marriages but there is equally a growing number of women and men who could not find partners beyond the marriage age. A good number of them are not in marriages but simply cohabiting. So think twice madam First Lady when you say a 15 year girl who is out of school should not be allowed to get married. To get a clear picture of the problem especially with single ladies go to some of the churches and see how people desperately pray for marriages.
People this is not about relationships. It is about health. What Mr. Mofu was saying is true. It is not not only Women but Men as well. @ ZP(Zabwino Palibe) Mr. Mofu is not a Social Scientist but a Nutritionist With a Masters Degree in that field. The Survey referred to was undertaken on a representative sample and not in those areas you are mentioning. Zambia is suffering from a double burden of extreme under nutrition on one hand and Over Nutrition (obesity) on the other. Both are killers and press tremendous burden on the economy of this Country. Once someone brings out an issue, we the bloggers need to digest it and offer meaningful debate. What I’m seeing here is an indication of low calibre analysis of issues from most of you bloggers.
Give me the areas where the survay was conduct the the system he used.
I guess even men. Nutrition is grossly misunderstood in Zambian, especially in urban areas. For instance, a vegetable diet in Zambia is interpreted as sign of being poor.
That fat poko faram in the picture is almost as ugly as Nkandu Luo.
Mphendula Kayaula, you are very s.t.upid, why insult innocent people.
The obesity cited in the study needs to qualify for how many of those women are on hormonal contraception and on antiretroviral therapy, both of which have obesity as side effect. It is not just alcohol that stacks up the weight. Obese women with underweigth children could just further highlight the fact that the parents are on treatment while the children are not!
I agree with everyone who has highlighted the fact that the picture used in the article is illegally there if no permission was obtained, however , the lady in it highlights something else, the abuse of steroids (even in skin lighteners) over a while also has obesity as a side effect.
It will be interesting to see the Zambian disease profile as regards diabetes and heart disease over the next few years.
Its true and have also been thinking about it. The solution is that they start exercising and pisibly do more walking. This isca simple matter obesity is not good as even the resulting children will be obese and u know how lazy obese kids are just wanting to eat. It also leads to early death and at the end we may be terminated all. We need a solution seriously.
I totally agree with this survey carried out. Women are truly obese due to poor lifestyle but mostly due these trends of kitchen parties, where most drink excessively following by eating whatever is within reach. This is a health hazard which unfortunately, Zambia has no resources to be able to address. Poor lifestyle indeed; eating unhealthy foods, sitting too much and no exercises of any kind.
Thats deductive logic. nutritionist must tells us the effects of diet supplient agents in ARVs sawell. and whether it is true to say contraceptives contribute to gaining weight aswell. Must also tell us the meaning of set point in relation to weight gain.
Tapali.Ine!!Plus size women,fyalilowa,pa ine i love ’em thick,the needs a cushion for the pushing tamwashiba.To thin intwenokane filaba ifishima,mwaishiba teh?
You are right guys they should have said 10% of Lusaka women, coz am working in a rural province just coming from another rural province, women walk I mwan walking ganda, so which obesity are they talking about, have been to Uganda, Zim, SA, Swazi women are huge there, thought it may be a factor of genes, but all in all only urban women in Zambia are obese! GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.
Sorry I mean …
My question is what about the men who look pregnant, with big stomachs. Why are you condeming the women ? Men also need to exntensive exercise and have a trim stomach. Men have issues as well.
Hehehehe. .Chief of Grief Ukanjipaya ku nseko. Ati u twain da fushima
This concern comes as a surprise in a country where obesity is celebrated as a status symbol for good life and health.Clearly the blind are beginning to see.
Obesity is a huge concern in zambia. For both men and women.
I was surprised by the lack of quality gyms and programs which promote
Health and fitness when I visited this beautiful country last year.
People are dying young because of poor lifestyle choices. Local brews, heavy drinking, poor diets etc.
let’s do better mwe bantu…
And by the way, I am a fitness trainer outside of Zambia. I would love to open a gym in Lusaka soon.