Most women in Dar are over weight, says report

Dar es Salaam. Nearly half of Tanzanian women aged between 15 and 49 years are overweight, putting them at risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Obesity among women grew to 47 percent in 2020/21, up from 38.8 percent in 2014/15, according to a National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) survey.

The situation was even worse in urban areas where 60.5 percent of women were overweight compared to 40.3 percent in rural areas.

Overweight and obesity are indicators of overnutrition, which is characterised as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that poses a health risk.

The report reveals that the largest increase of overweight women– of about 12 percentage points – was observed in Dar es Salaam while Zanzibar had the least increase from 55 percent to 56.1 percent.

Health experts blame it on people’s increasingly unhealthy eating habits while ignoring physical activities and exercise.

A nutritionist from Muhimbili National Hospital-Mloganzila, Mr Aboubakar Mzee said eating fast food can contribute to overweight because most of those foods are high in carbohydrates and fats.

He said weight gain is mostly caused by excessive eating and a lack of activities that engage the body, resulting in the accumulation of fat. Housework, walking, and running are some examples of such activities.

“If you look at the age that has been mentioned, the majority are girls or ladies who are able to buy those foods themselves. Those of a lower age cannot be overweight because they are under the care of their parents, even the foods are managed. Those above that age have a small appetite so it is not easy to find them overweight,” he said.

In terms of what could be done, he stated that women should adjust their lifestyle and ensure that what they eat is lowered by engaging the body in different activities.

“Failure to do so will result in weight gain and the development of ailments,” he added.

On the other hand, Ms Maria Shemweta, a resident of Dar es Salaam’s Mwenge neighbourhood, said that lifestyle is killing women and that the culture of walking is currently declining, leading to increased weight.

“This is not good news at all because it puts the lives of women in danger,” she said, adding that the findings should serve as a wake-up call to folks who believe they are overweight to start exercising and eating less of the things that cause them to gain weight.

A gym trainer in the city, Mr Aloyce Chilongola, said that it is true that there is currently an issue of overweight ladies, and some are progressively entering fitness clubs in an attempt to lose weight.  “Overeating, not exercising, and even doing simple tasks like running or walking pose a significant problem. They always want to contact bodabodas for a ride within a short walking distance, which causes many mothers to have this problem,” he said.

According to the NBS, the overweight indicator is estimated for women of reproductive age between 15-49 years, and excludes currently pregnant women when possible.