Help your health, help SA

As a country’s economy improves, so does the health of the population, thanks to better access to healthcare and better health promotion programmes. Importantly the inverse also applies — investing in and improving the health of the population will help to grow the economy.

More than two-thirds of deaths in the world are caused by chronic diseases of lifestyle such as heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. The estimated cost of this to the global economy is over $30trillion over the next 20 years.

These conditions are largely preventable by the choices we make. Half of the people who die from these diseases are in the prime of their productive lives — people who should be contributing to the economy.

South African national surveys in 1998 and 2016 paint a disturbing picture. The proportion of men who are overweight or obese rose by more than 10% during this time. Among women, this figure increased from 56% to 68% over the same period.

While many issues in our country may seem beyond our control, our own health and the health of our families are decisions that are in our hands. Many of us can: Choose what and how much we eat; Decide how much exercise to do; Ensure we have relevant medical tests, get vaccinated and take the medication our doctors prescribe. To make our communities and country better, we need to do our part and contribute to a better society. An investment in our health is an investment in a better future for ourselves and South Africa. —

Dr Craig Nossel, Head of Vitality Wellness