East Africa takes steps toward aligned nutrition policies
As non-communicable diseases strain health systems across East Africa, governments are stepping up efforts to strengthen food environment policies. At a regional dialogue in Mombasa, Kenya, over 80 delegates from governments, civil society, academia and development agencies met to explore how national efforts can be aligned to more widely promote healthier diets and reduce the burden of diet-related diseases.
Jointly convened by the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC), the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNi) and Kenya’s Ministry of Health, the East Africa Regional Dialogue on Policies to Transform Markets for Nutritious Foods focused on practical solutions for reshaping food environments in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. It also drew upon lessons from other African countries and highlighted the role of evidence, standards and regional partnerships in shaping policy reform.
Tackling the triple burden of malnutrition
Opening the meeting on behalf of Kenya’s cabinet secretary for health, Dr. Joseph Lenai framed the issue in urgent terms: “Food and health are security issues that should be raised in both national and global agendas,” said Lenai, director of primary health care at the Ministry of Health. In Kenya, non-communicable diseases account for 39% of all deaths, more than half of hospital admissions and 11% of total health expenditures. Similar patterns are being seen across the region, driven by rapid urbanization, shifts in food consumption and the aggressive marketing of ultra-processed foods.
The event highlighted examples of how countries are starting to respond. In Ghana, the introduction of a 20% tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in 2023 has led to a reported 50% reduction in the production of ultra-processed foods. In South Africa, policy groundwork for marketing restrictions targeting unhealthy foods consumed by children has laid the foundation for stronger consumer protection.
Kenya, meanwhile, has developed a national nutrient profile model, a tool designed to guide labelling, advertising, procurement and broader regulatory reforms. “Our assessment found that 90% of packaged products assessed on the market don’t meet basic health standards,” stated Mark Wijne, director of research at ATNi. “This shows just how urgently strong regulatory tools like nutrient profiling and labelling are needed.”
Individual country experiences spark regional momentum
The Kenya Nutrient Profile Model was developed with support from multi-stakeholder partnerships, including technical and financial inputs from IDRC-funded initiatives. Delegates expressed interest in adapting the tool to other contexts and aligning standards regionally.
“One of the strongest takeaways was the clear appetite for regional harmonization of nutrient profiling models and front-of-pack labelling,” said Shukri Mohamed, a research scientist with APHRC and a food policy project in East Africa, which is part of the IDRC-supported Catalyzing Change for Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems (CCHeFS) initiative. This momentum aligns closely with her work to strengthen coherent food environment policies across the region, fostering cross-country learning and policy coherence. “But the reality is that countries are at different stages, and support is needed to bridge these gaps,” she added.
“The stark reality is that foods sold in low- and middle-income countries are less healthy than those in the markets of wealthier nations. This must change,” said Kenya’s health cabinet secretary, Aden Bare Duale, in a speech delivered on his behalf. He reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to implementing front-of-pack labelling, improving inter-agency coordination, strengthening East African Community (EAC) engagement and enhancing monitoring and enforcement.
Momentum builds for regional alignment
Over the two-day meeting, delegates engaged in panel discussions, presentations and peer-learning sessions, noting a push for regional integration. The EAC Secretariat confirmed its readiness to support alignment of nutrient profiling models and labelling systems through EAC frameworks. Officials from the standard bureaus of Uganda and Tanzania highlighted opportunities to use shared platforms like the EAC Codex Forum.
Accountability was also a prominent theme — both in relation to food industry practices and political follow-up. Participants stressed the need for clear, accessible policy briefs, stronger civil society engagement and support for governments to withstand commercial pressure. “We have the evidence. The challenge is how we communicate it and get leaders to act,” said one participant. “It’s time to shine a light on poor outcomes and use that to push for real accountability.”
From commitment to action
The meeting closed with a symbolic handover of the signed nutrient profile model to regional partners and international allies, signalling a willingness to lead by example. In his closing remarks, Cabinet Secretary Duale through Dr. Lenai called on other countries to adopt similar commitments to create food environments that make healthy choices the easy choices.
While no formal declarations were signed, the meeting delivered key outcomes — including support for policy alignment, interest in fiscal and regulatory tools and a focus on moving from dialogue to implementation. As food environments evolve, participants acknowledged the urgency of coordinated action to foster mutual benefit.
With political will and continued collaboration, the progress made in Mombasa could pave the way for region-wide transformation in how food is regulated, marketed and consumed, driving shared prosperity.
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