Affecting over a billion people globally (650 million adults, 340 million adolescents, and 39 million children), obesity is a dangerous global crisis. On this week’s Wellness Wednesday, we spoke to Dr. Nokukhanya Khanyile-Lenake, a pediatric registrar who is currently studying towards becoming a specialist pediatrician. She speaks to us about obesity, what it is, and how we can tackle this issue.
Her Journey To Medicine
Dr. Khanyile shares how she got into medicine, being inspired by her passion for teaching and learning. Whilst in medical school, it became increasingly clear that she enjoyed working for people and giving them basic information that they wouldn’t need to call a doctor for.
This is seen through her love for community and mental health. Through her practice, she has been able to realize that with most issues faced, the consequences tend to affect children the most. An example we see of this is obesity.
The Lack of Obesity Information
Dr. Nokukhanya Khanyile-Lenake
In terms of obesity amongst children, she cites how parents not only lack the right information, but this information is straightforward, not taking the individual into consideration. Healthcare doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all solution.
Dr. Nokukhanya shares that people are different, so healthcare must prioritize tailoring the information to what is going to work for you. This is even seen in how obesity is defined.
Obesity is Different In Adults and Children
Determining obesity in adults is quite simple. Body mass index measurements are used to determine this (A BMI of over 25= overweight. A BMI over 30= obese), while in children, it is a more complicated process. Since they are still growing, their weight will be impacted by various factors, including height, age, gender, and puberty. She explains the process of establishing what an overweight child is, the factors looked at, and how the risk in getting them to lose weight at a young age is malnutrition.
Different BMI Scales
Dr. Khanyile shares how South Africa doesn’t use the same BMI scale that other countries use. This is due to a difference in diets, cultures, and body shapes. She also speaks to us about how different cultures and body types shape what we view as healthy and acceptable.
Obesity Isn’t Just Dietary
Contrary to the problematic, yet popular belief, obesity isn’t just about eating and exercising the right way. Dr. Khanyile tells us about the different factors influencing obesity, which include genetics (e.g. coming from a family with high cholesterol or diabetes), medical conditions, and even puberty. Through her work, she is breaking down this harmful stigma that can take a psychological toll on those affected.
Psychological Effects
Dr. Nokukhanya speaks to us about the psychological side of obesity. In this social media age, bullying has become extremely common. This is why she aims to target this condition from 3 aspects; biological (being healthy genetically), psychological (self-esteem), and social. Although tests may say you’re completely healthy, your quality of life can be impacted, especially in children. This is why she prioritizes viewing this from a social standpoint too.
Watch the interview
To learn more about the importance of improving food awareness for your health and how to determine your BMI, for Dr. Khanyile’s tips for staying healthy, watch the full interview below:
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