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2000

Nutrition, health and old age: the case of urbanSouth African elderlyKaren E. CharltonUniversity of Wollongong, karenc@uow.edu.au

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Publication DetailsCharlton, K. E. 2000, 'Nutrition, health and old age: the case of urban South African elderly', South African Journal of ClinicalNutrition, vol. 13, no. Suppl, pp. S31-S38.

Nutrition, health and old age: the case of urban South African elderly

AbstractThe southern African region (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique andZimbabwe) has the continent's highest percentage of older inhabitants; 6.2% of the population in 1997 wasestimated to be 60 years or older. Within southern Africa, South Africa has the highest proportion of olderpopulation. The 1996 census data estimate that 2.8 million South Africans are aged 60 years and older, whichconstitutes 7% of the total population. This percentage is projected to increase to almost 11% of thepopulation over the next 20 years. (Mostert W, Hofmeyr B, Oosthuizen K Demographic projections for SouthAfrica. Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council, 1997- unpublished data.) It is the absolute number ofelderly people that determines the need for health and welfare services. In this regard, the number is projectedto more than double, to 6.3 million. (Mostert W, Hofmeyr B, Oosthuizen K. Demographic projections forSouth Africa. Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council, 1997- unpublished data.)

In terms of life expectancy at birth, differences are seen between the racial groups in South Africa. Lifeexpectancy for white South Africans is currently about 8 - 10 years higher than for the black and colouredpopulations, and about 5 years higher than for the Asian group. (Mostert W, Hofmeyr B, Oosthuizen K.Demographic projections for South Africa. Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council, 1997- unpublisheddata.) In all groups, older women outnumber men. The total population growth rate in South Africa is fallingas a result of declining fertility rates. However, as more people reach old age, the growth rate of the 60+ agegroup has come to exceed that of the total population, and the gap will widen considerably in the future.

Keywordsage, old, health, nutrition, elderly, south, african, urban, case

DisciplinesMedicine and Health Sciences | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Publication DetailsCharlton, K. E. 2000, 'Nutrition, health and old age: the case of urban South African elderly', South AfricanJournal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 13, no. Suppl, pp. S31-S38.

This journal article is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow.edu.au/smhpapers/640

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NUTRITION, HEALTH AND OLD

AGE - THE CASE OF SOUTH

AFRICAN URBAN ELDERLY

Paper presented at the Urban Nutrition Action Workshop, Durban, 5-7 March 1999

Karen E Charlton

The southern African region (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique and Zimbabwe) has the continent's highest percentage of older inhabitants; 6.2% of the population in 1997 was estimated to be 60 years or older.' Within southern Africa, South Africa has the highest proportion of older population. The 1996 census data estimate that 2.8 million South Africans are aged 60 years and older, which constitutes 7% of the total population.' This percentage is projected to increase to almost 11% of the population over the next 20 years. (Mostert W, Hofmeyr B, Oosthuizen K Demographic projections for South Africa. Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council, 1997- unpublished data.) It is the absolute number of elderly people that determines the need for health and welfare services. In this regard, the number is projected to more than double, to 6.3 million. (Mostert W, Hofmeyr B, Oosthuizen K. Demographic projections for South Africa. Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council, 1997-

_!lnpublished data.)

In terms of life expectancy at birth, differences are seen between the racial groups in South Africa. Life expectancy for white South Africans is currently about 8 - 10 years higher than for the black and coloured populations, and about 5 years higher than for the Asian group. (Mostert W, Hofmeyr B, Oosthuizen K. Demographic projections for South Africa. Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council, 1997-unpublished data.) In all groups, older women outnumber men. The total population growth rate in South Africa is falling as a result of declining fertility rates. However, as more people reach old age, the growth rate of the 60+ age group has come to exceed that of the total population, and the gap will widen considerably in the future.'

SoCIO-ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS

REGARDING THE SITUATION OF THE ELDERLY

IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

As a result of the 40 years of apartheid policy, the black, coloured and Asian populations had unequal opportunities and access to the country's resources and are consequently

Nutrition and Dietetics Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town

Karen E Charlton, MPhil (Epidemiol), MSc, SRD

SAJCN