Perceptions of weight in relation to health, hunger, and belonging among women in periurban South Africa

Abstract

Aware of public health obesity messaging, participants in this study had tried to lose weight, yet stress and food scarcity impacted weight gain. Whereas public health interventions focus on behavior, responses to non-communicable diseases (NCD) must recognize the role of food systems and poverty in shaping risk profiles. Drawing on in-depth interviews and focus groups, in this article the intersections between health, hunger, and belonging are explored by drawing on the experiences of women in one periurban neighborhood of Cape Town, South Africa. Rather than experiencing chronic hunger, participants described lack of dietary diversity, acute hunger, and missing meals.