Hiatus hernia in Johannesburg blacks

With westernization of diet and lifestyle among South African Blacks, particularly urban dwellers, hitherto unknown gastro-intestinal diseases are becoming evident. Previously unreported is hiatus hernia, now a definite disease entity, although still very uncommon. At Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg, over 17 months in 1977-1978, 46 patients with hiatus hernia were detected from barium meal examinations on 1392 persons, i.e. 3,3%, or 0,07% of total hospital admissions of adults. The disease affected mainly middle-aged and elderly women. Prevalences of obesity, comparative physical inactivity and hypertension appeared commoner than in the general urban adult population. Just as appendicitis is a marker of westernization in young urban Blacks, hiatus hernia may be regarded as a marker in the middle-aged and elderly.