Original Research

The nutrition situation of free-living elderly in Umlazi township, South Africa

Xolile Mkhize, Carin Napier, Wilna Oldewage-Theron
Health SA Gesondheid | Vol 18, No 1 | a656 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v18i1.656 | © 2013 Xolile Mkhize, Carin Napier, Wilna Oldewage-Theron | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 20 February 2012 | Published: 27 September 2013

About the author(s)

Xolile Mkhize, Department of Community Extension, Mangosuthu University of Technology, South Africa
Carin Napier, Department of Food and Nutrition-Consumer Sciences, Durban University of Technology, South Africa
Wilna Oldewage-Theron, Centre of Sustainable Livelihoods, Vaal University of Technology, South Africa

Abstract

The risk for non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, stroke and ischaemic heart disease in the elderly continues to be on the increase. It is shaped and modified by factors such as economic status and experiences across the whole lifespan. Although malnutrition in this population could be due to poor dietary practices, the nutrition transition of communities in South Africa is partially responsible for nutritional problems. Because of the degree of dependency on others for help and care in communities, the elderly are at risk for malnutrition. The elderly of the Umlazi community are overburdened with the social responsibility of grandchildren and trying to bring stability by managing various households. This becomes a double burden and puts more strain on their quality of life, further impacting on their nutritional status.

Die risiko vir chroniese siektes soos hipertensie, diabetes, beroerte en hartkwaal is steeds baie hoog in die bejaardes in Suid Afrika. Dit word deur faktore soos ekonomiese status en ervarings oor die hele lewesiklus gevorm en verander. Voedings probleme wat geïndentifiseer is in die studie hou verband met dieettekorte, alhoewel probleme met oorvoeding verband kan hou met die voedings oorgang wat plaasvind in Suid Afrikaanse gemeenskappe. In verskeie gemeenskappe, as gevolg van die graad van afhanklikheid van ander vir hulp en sorg, is die bejaardes blootgestel aan die risiko van wanvoeding. Die bejaardes van die Umlazi gemeenskap is oorlaai met die sosiale verantwoordelikheid van kleinkinders en probeer om verskeie huishoudings te stabiliseer, wat ‘n dubbele las op hulle plaas en dit kan hulle lewenskwaliteit affekteer wat dan hul voedingstatus verder kan vererger.


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Crossref Citations

1. Food and beverages promoting elderly health: six food-based dietary guidelines to plan good mixed meals for elderly South Africans
Sanjoy Saha, Upasana Mukherjee, Makenzie Miller, Li-Ling Peng, Carin Napier, Heleen Grobbelaar, Wilna Oldewage-Theron
South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition  vol: 34  issue: sup1  first page: S51  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1080/16070658.2021.1956232