Measuring the healthiness of Ghanaian children’s food environments to prevent obesity and non-communicable diseases

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent the leading cause of death globally and were responsible for 70% of the world's 56 million deaths in 2015. In some African countries, NCDs cause more than 50% of all reported adult deaths. In Ghana, that figure was 44%. In recognition of this increasing burden, Ghana has published a national NCD prevention policy and accompanying strategy, which recognize interventions to promote healthy diets as crucial. Specifically, there are recent indications from local policymakers in Ghana that tackling unhealthy food promotion and improving food provision would be the most likely actions to address the problem of obesity and NCD risk factors, especially in children and adolescents.

These policymakers, however, acknowledge that food environment-related responses to NCD prevention are hampered by scarce resources, paucity of data, and lack of appropriate policies and interventions in Ghana. Focusing on restricting unhealthy food marketing to children and improving school nutrition environments, this project will adapt approaches developed by the International Network for Food and Obesity NCDs Research Monitoring and Action Support for Ghana to measure, benchmark, and support public sector actions that create healthy food marketing and provision environments for children and adolescents.

Project ID
108983
Project Status
Active
End Date
Duration
36 months
IDRC Officer
Samuel Oji Oti
Total Funding
CA$ 521,300.00
Location
Ghana
Programs
Climate-Resilient Food Systems
Climate-Resilient Food Systems
Food, Environment, and Health
Institution Country
Ghana
Project Leader
Amos Laar
Institution
University of Ghana
Institution Website
https://www.ug.edu.gh

Outputs

Providing measurements, evaluation, accountability & leadership support (MEALS) for NCDs prevention : lessons from Ghana

Providing measurements, evaluation, accountability & leadership support (MEALS) for NCDs prevention : lessons from Ghana

Report

Analysis covering the period 1980–2015 reveals a 500% increase in prevalence of adult obesity in Ghana. The presentation provides statistics regarding obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCD), as well as a review of studies towards better food and health policy actions. The Measurement, Evaluation, Accountability & Leadership Support (MEALS4NCD) prevention project measures and supports public sector actions that create healthy food marketing, retail and provisioning environments along with better food policy.

Author(s): Laar, Amos

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Providing measurement, evaluation, accountability, and leadership support for NCDs prevention in Ghana : adapting the INFORMAS approach

Providing measurement, evaluation, accountability, and leadership support for NCDs prevention in Ghana : adapting the INFORMAS approach

Article

This paper describes the rationale, adaptation and final protocol of a project developed to address the Measurement, Evaluation, Accountability, and Leadership Support for non-communicable diseases (NCD), the MEALS4NCDs project. MEALS4NCDs evaluates and supports public sector actions that create healthy food marketing, retail and provisioning environments for Ghanaian children, using adapted methods from International Network for Food and Obesity/NCDs Research Monitoring and Action Support (INFORMAS). The study establishes a standardised approach to providing implementation evidence for NCDs prevention in Ghana. Ghana is at an advanced stage of “nutrition transition” through rapid urbanization, with increasing overweight/obesity and diet-related NCDs.

Author(s): Laar, Amos, Holdsworth, Michelle, Quarpong, Wilhemina, Aryeetey, Richmond, Kelly, Bridget

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How healthy are our supermarkets? availability of healthy and unhealthy, ultra-processed foods in supermarkets of selected districts of greater Accra region, Ghana

How healthy are our supermarkets? availability of healthy and unhealthy, ultra-processed foods in supermarkets of selected districts of greater Accra region, Ghana

Paper

The conference paper reports on a study that demonstrates extensive availability of unhealthy/ ultra-processed foods in supermarkets found within selected districts. For every healthy food, there were nine unhealthy ones. Towards a healthier supermarket food environment, the Food and Drugs Authority in partnership with other stakeholders needs to institute measures that improve availability of healthy foods within supermarkets.

Author(s): Adjei, Akosua Pokua, Amevinya, Gideon, Quarpong, Wilhemina, Tandoh, Akua, Aryeetey, Richmond

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Language: English

Improving nutrition, unlocking potential, and accelerating change in Africa : the role of measurement, evaluation, accountability, and leadership support (MEALS)

Improving nutrition, unlocking potential, and accelerating change in Africa : the role of measurement, evaluation, accountability, and leadership support (MEALS)

Paper

This is a one-page outline of key points from a presenter at the International Congress of Dietetics (ICD), September 2021, in Cape Town South Africa. It reviews efforts to improve healthiness of the Ghanaian food environment, and policies required to account for people’s lived environments that encompass regulatory, legislative, and fiscal measures.

Author(s): Laar, Amos

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Language: English

Heavy marketing of energy-dense nutrient-poor foods around public basic schools in greater Accra region, Ghana

Heavy marketing of energy-dense nutrient-poor foods around public basic schools in greater Accra region, Ghana

Paper

The one- page abstract provided here relates to a study which examined the extent and nature of marketing of foods, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages nearby selected schools in Ghana’s most urbanized region, Greater Accra. Policies and actions are needed to protect pupils from marketing practices as found in this study.

Author(s): Amevinya, Gideon S., Quarpong, Wilhemina, Aryeetey, Richmond, Tandoh, Akua

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Language: English