Rapid increases in overweight and obesity among South African adolescents: comparison of data from the South African National Youth Risk Behaviour Survey in 2002 and 2008.

Objectives: To aid future policy and intervention initiatives, we studied the prevalence and correlates of overweight and obesity among participants in the South African National Youth Risk Behaviour Survey in 2002 and 2008.

Methods: The survey collected data from nationally representative cross-sectional samples of students in grades 8 through 11 (n = 9491 in 2002 and 9442 in 2008) by questionnaire and measurement of height and weight. We stratified data on overweight and obesity rates by age, socioeconomic status, and race/ethnicity.