Health behaviour among black and white South Africans

Four important health behaviours--dietary fat avoidance, regular exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption--were assessed by questionnaire, together with measures of risk awareness, health status, health benefits, subjective health and well-being. The sample included 250 Blacks and 250 Whites chosen by systematic random sampling from telephone directories in formerly White and Black urban areas in the Northern Province of South Africa. Results indicate that Blacks avoided more fat and cholesterol, smoked less and drunk less alcohol than Whites did, while Whites exercised more than Blacks did. Blacks saw more health benefits in not smoking and avoiding fat than Whites did, while Whites rated more importance to regular exercise than Blacks. Among Blacks and Whites significant gender differences were found; on average women's behaviour was more healthy in terms of not smoking, limited or no alcohol consumption and the avoidance of fat and cholesterol, but there were no such differences for the practice of exercise. Lower socio-economic status was among Whites associated with avoidance of fat and among Blacks with non-smoking. Risk awareness in relation to disease was higher among Blacks than among Whites. The strongest predictors for various health behaviours were gender, ethnicity and age.