Webinar: The Link Between Access to Safe and Nutritious Food and Non-Communicable Diseases in South Africa [18 March 2021]

The rise of NCDs has been described as a ‘public health emergency in slow motion’ and is now the leading cause of mortality – estimated to account for 51 per cent of the country’s annual deaths. These ‘diseases of lifestyle’ have been driven primarily by four major risk factors: tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets. Research has shown that diet-related factors are now associated with more premature deaths than any other factor. As such, this webinar explores the intersection between access to safe and nutritious food and NCDs in South Africa.

It aims to spark meaningful conversation on the right to access of safe and nutritious food and health care in South Africa. This situation is further compounded by the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, it seeks to explore the proliferation of NCDs, magnified by high levels of food inaccessibility and weakening health systems whose resources have been stretched to respond to a myriad of health-related burdens.

This webinar seeks to provide a platform to identify collective solutions in responding to the increase of diet-related NCDs in South Africa. It equally hopes to extend the conversation to advocacy strategies and diverse approaches in addressing this challenge going forward.

Moderator: Paula Knipe, Dullah Omar Institute, University of the Western Cape

Panelists:

• Prof Rina Swart (Senior Researcher, Registered Dietician, Registered Nutritionist with HPCSA, University of the Western Cape)
  • The Extent of Diet-related NCDs in South Africa: What is the ‘Nutrition Transition’ and How are Our Consumption Habits Perpetuating NCDs?
• Dr Jane Battersby (Senior Researcher, African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town)
  • The Food Environment in South Africa: Making the Link Between Urban Food Policy and NCDs in a Post-Pandemic Era
• Dr Vicki Pinkney-Atkinson (Director of South African Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance)
  • Advocating for Effective NCDs Policy and Implementation in South Africa: What CSOs Should Know.

Please click HERE to register in advance for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.