ANTHROPOMETRIC PROFILE OF A BLACK-POPULATION OF THE CAPE PENINSULA INSOUTH-AFRICA

This study describes the anthropometry of an urban black population li ving in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. A random sample of 986 selec ted adults aged 15-64 years and 163 children aged three to six years, included data on heights, weights, and mid-upper arm circumferences an d calculation of the body mass index (BMI), The mean height of men was 168.3 cm and that of women 158.3 cm. Mean weight, BMI and mid-upper a rm circumference for men were 66.2 kg, 23.4 and 28.1 cm and for women 69.8 kg, 27.8 and 30.6 cm respectively. The prevalence of underweight in men (BMI < 20) was 19% and in women (BMI < 19) 3.7%; 22% of the men were overweight (BMI greater than or equal to 25) and 7.9% obese (BMI greater than or equal to 30), while 36.4% of women were overweight (B MI greater than or equal to 24) and 34.4% obese (BMI greater than or e qual to 30), More than half of the women above the age of 35 years wer e obese. Anthropometry of the three to six year old children was calcu lated for stunting, wasting and underweight, expressed in terms of the National Centre for Health Statistics standards, and revealed co-exis ting evidence of growth retardation and wasting with emergent obesity. These findings suggest that a part of this community, who may have be en nutritionally deprived during childhood, has moved from undernutrit ion to extreme overnutrition without having achieved optimal nutrition al status. Complexities that need to be considered when planning strat egies to address malnutrition in the black South African population ar e identified.