Article Sidebar
Published:
Sep 19, 2007Article Details
Copyright remains in the Author’s name. The work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Noncommercial Works License. Authors are required to complete and sign an Author Agreement form that outlines Author and Publisher rights and terms of publication. The Agreement form should be uploaded along with other submissions files and any submission will be considered incomplete without it [forthcoming].
Material submitted for publication in the SAMJ is accepted provided it has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Please inform the editorial team if the main findings of your paper have been presented at a conference and published in abstract form, to avoid copyright infringement. The SAMJ does not hold itself responsible for statements made by the authors.
Previously published images
If an image/figure has been previously published, permission to reproduce or alter it must be obtained by the authors from the original publisher and the figure legend must give full credit to the original source. This credit should be accompanied by a letter indicating that permission to reproduce the image has been granted to the author/s. This letter should be uploaded as a supplementary file during submission.
Main Article Content
Estimating the burden of disease attributable to low fruit and vegetable intake in South Africa in 2000
Abstract
Objectives. To estimate the burden of disease attributed to low
fruit and vegetable intake by sex and age group in South Africa
for the year 2000.
Design. The analysis follows the World Health Organization
comparative risk assessment (CRA) methodology. Populationattributable
fractions were calculated from South African
prevalence data from dietary surveys and applied to the
revised South African burden of disease estimates for 2000.
A theoretical maximum distribution of 600 g per day for fruit
and vegetable intake was chosen. Monte Carlo simulationmodelling
techniques were used for uncertainty analysis.
Setting. South Africa.
Subjects. Adults ≥ 15 years.
Outcome measures. Mortality and disability-adjusted life years
(DALYs), from ischaemic heart disease, ischaemic stroke, lung
cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer and oesophageal cancer.
Results. Low fruit and vegetable intake accounted for 3.2%
of total deaths and 1.1% of the 16.2 million attributable
DALYs. For both males and females the largest proportion
of total years of healthy life lost attributed to low fruit and
vegetable intake was for ischaemic heart disease (60.6% and
52.2%, respectively). Ischaemic stroke accounted for 17.8% of
attributable DALYs for males and 32.7% for females. For the
related cancers, the leading attributable DALYs for men and
women were oesophageal cancer (9.8% and 7.0%, respectively)
and lung cancer (7.8% and 4.7%, respectively).
Conclusions. A high intake of fruit and vegetables can make a
significant contribution to decreasing mortality from certain
diseases. The challenge lies in creating the environment that
facilitates changes in dietary habits such as the increased intake
of fruit and vegetables.
South African Medical Journal Vol. 97 (8) Part 2 2007: pp. 717-723
