Let’s make Cape Town a healthier place

03 Nov 2011, Posted by Cape Town Girl in CTG recommends, cape town, exercise, running, the run diaries, 0 Comments

According to the annual Discovery Vitality Healthiest City survey, Johannesburg is once again the healthiest city with the highest levels of physical activity (must be all that shopping!) followed by – in descending order – Pretoria, Durban, Port Elizabeth and, in last place, Cape Town (sad news friends).

Here are some interesting facts for you from the study:

The average BMI in Cape Town is 27,1 (18 – 25 is considered healthy)

The average cholesterol level is 4,8 (that’s fine, you’ll be put on a cholesterol-lowering diet at about 5.5 and medicated if you’re around 6.5+)

Most people eat just under three portions of fruit and veggies a day (we can do better!)

23% of people smoke (naughty! But a lot less than I expected to be honest)

Only 36% of Cape Town’s residents fall within the healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) range of between 18.5 and 25. This is compared to 40% in Johannesburg, 37% in Durban, 34% in Pretoria and 33% in Port Elizabeth. Hey, we have amazing restaurants!

And only 20% of Capetonians participate in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity, which is the recommended minimum for health benefits. 42% do less than 75 minutes per week. In addition, 86% of the city’s residents eat less than the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. What are we eating?! Man can not live on complimentary Vida e Caffe Lindt chocolates alone!

If this is you, maybe it’s time to make some changes hmmm? They don’t have to be huge! If you’re one of those people who says ‘it’s in my genes, there’s nothing I can do’, please read this article by TIME about how that’s absolute bollocks.

Start small. Why not join us in doing the Discovery Cape Times BIG WALK next weekend? It’s only 5kms. And it’s a walk. And you know what? Even if you’re the most unfit person you know, it will a) make you a happier person (because that’s what exercise does) and b) will do wonders for your body and state of mind. As someone who started running late in life, I sometimes get angry that NO-ONE TOLD ME HOW AMAZING IT MAKES YOU FEEL SOONER. So this is me, telling you.