SOUTHERN AFRICA

Urbanization and Processed Food Exposure

What Changed

Southern Africa has seen:

• strong urbanization
• increased processed food access
• higher sugar consumption

Traditional diets:

• maize
• legumes
• vegetables

Modern diets:

• refined starches
• sugary drinks
• processed foods

Disease Expression

• Rising Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity
• Metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease

Why Southern Africa Matters

Southern Africa illustrates how quickly metabolic disease rises when urban food systems dominate.

Explore Full Atlas of the Global Metabolic Crisis