title: Rapid increases in overweight and obesity among South African adolescents: comparison of data from the South African National Youth Risk Behaviour Survey in 2002 and 2008.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To aid future policy and intervention initiatives, we studied the prevalence and correlates of overweight and obesity among participants in the South African National Youth Risk Behaviour Survey in 2002 and 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey collected data from nationally representative cross-sectional samples of students in grades 8 through 11 (n = 9491 in 2002 and 9442 in 2008) by questionnaire and measurement of height and weight. We stratified data on overweight and obesity rates by age, socioeconomic status, and race/ethnicity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among male adolescents, overweight rates increased from 6.3% in 2002 to 11.0% in 2008 (P < .01); among female adolescents, overweight rates increased from 24.3% in 2002 to 29.0% in 2008 (P < .01). Obesity rates more than doubled among male adolescents from 1.6% in 2002 to 3.3% in 2008 (P < .01) and rose from 5.0% to 7.5% among female adolescents (P < .01). We observed a dose-response relationship in overweight and obesity rates across socioeconomic categories. Rates of overweight and obesity were significantly higher among urban youths than among rural youths (P < .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  South Africa is experiencing a chronic disease risk transition. Further research is needed to better understand and effectively address this rapid change.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council of South Africa, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Sasiragha P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Resnicow
authors.forename: Shamagonam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Itumeleng N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Funani
authors.forename: Nilen S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Kambaran
authors.forename: Riyadh G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Omardien
authors.forename: Pardon
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Masuka
authors.forename: Ronel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sewpaul
authors.forename: Roger D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mbewu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data