South Africa faces a deepening malnutrition crisis, with more than 60% of households suffering some level of food insecurity and more than 40% unable to afford nutritious items, the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) has found.
BusinesssTech reported on an extensive HSRC survey into nutrition levels in the country. Among the findings are an increased level of child stunting, which is caused by severe malnutrition and affects people physically and often mentally for the rest of their lives.
The National Food and Nutrition Security Survey represents the first in-depth, nationwide study on food and nutrition since 1994. The survey was conducted from 2021 to 2023 and covered 34 500 households.
Professor Thokozani Simelane, the principal investigator, emphasised that South Africa is experiencing “the triple burden of malnutrition,” where households are struggling with undernutrition, hidden hunger, and obesity due to inadequate diets.
According to StatsSA, the worsening food security situation is closely linked to high unemployment rates, widespread poverty, and rising living costs. These factors collectively make food more expensive and less accessible to many South Africans.
The survey uncovered alarming rates of food insecurity across several provinces and revealed that nearly 50% of adult South Africans are either overweight or obese. “This contrasts sharply with the national narrative of food security, underscoring the discrepancy between official data and ground realities,” BusinessTech said.
The HSRC found that many low-income households are unable to afford nutritious food, with only 58.1% of surveyed households maintaining acceptable diets.
“A significant portion of these households rely on nutrient-poor food groups like cereals, condiments, sugars, and fats, leading to inadequate intake of essential nutrients.”
The survey provided a detailed breakdown of food insecurity levels in South Africa, showing that only 36.5% of households are food secure, while 63.5% of households suffer some degree of food insecurity.
The detailed breakdown was:
- 17.5% of households are severely food insecure, frequently facing reductions in meal sizes, skipping meals, or going hungry.
- 26.7% experience moderate food insecurity, where they often eat low-quality food and occasionally reduce their food intake.
- 19.3% are mildly food insecure, worried about food availability and quality but without needing to significantly reduce their intake.
- 36.5% of households are considered food-secure, experiencing minimal concern about accessing sufficient food.
“These results show that food security is an urgent issue that needs to be addressed both in urban and rural communities,” the HSRC report said.
