Studies were made on 50 South African urban black obese women aged 25-40 years, with Body Mass Index (BMI) (Kg/m2) of 29.5 or more, and on 50 non-obese women with BMI of 25 or less. In the two groups, mean triceps skinfolds were 25.5mm and 17.8mm, respectively. Hypertension (greater than or equal to 160/95mm Hg) was present in 6 and 4 women (12% and 8%), hypercholesterolaemia (greater than or equal to 5.2mmol/l) in 5 and 3 women (10% and 6%), hypertriglyceridaemia (greater than or equal to 1.8mmol/l) in 5 and 3 (10% and 6%), and hyperglycaemia (greater than or equal to 7.8mmol/l) in 2 and 1 women (4% and 2%). One or more adverse sequelae were present in 11 (22%) obese and in 9 (18%) of non-obese women, proportions not significantly different. Dietarily, mean daily intakes were--Kcals 2273 and 2240, protein 73g and 70g (12.9% and 12.5% energy), fat 65g and 67g (25.7% and 26.9% energy), carbohydrate 349g and 330g (61.4% and 60.5% energy), and dietary fibre, 12g and 13g. In this low socioeconomic and low fat dietary context, obesity in the black women studied was not specifically evocative of deleterious sequelae of obesity.
Appendicitis is near absent in rural blacks in Africa, and even in urban areas it remains very uncommon. Since the disease is new, and, moreover, potentially dangerous, a study was made of the antecedent history of 97 patients with proven appendicitis. Information was acquired concerning visits, and treatments and history, of (1) 34 patients who went first to traditional healers, and (2) 63 patients who sought orthodox medical attention. Of healers' treatments, none was beneficial; patients were ultimately directed, or decided to go to the hospital. Throughout Africa, traditional healers are held in high esteem and very extensively patronized. Accordingly, in both rural and in urban areas, concerted endeavours must be made by health authorities to promote recognition by healers of those diseases, acute or malignant, for which patients should be told to seek immediate medical attention.
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