A Malnourished Food System: Harmful Impacts Of Upf Consumption On Health And Nutrition In Africa

In this 8th factsheet in the series, we focus on the health impacts of ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption in Africa. There are clear and direct associations between increased UPF consumption and an increase in a range of diet- and nutrition-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

In Africa, shifting dietary patterns are linked to the rising triple burden of malnutrition, i.e., the coexistence of overnutrition, undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies – leading to diet-related NCDs. With UPFs making up a greater proportion of diets due to various factors, including increasing availability, accessibility, and relative affordability, UPFs are driving and deepening the triple burden of malnutrition.

The unique health risks presented by UPF go beyond the specific nutrients, such as sugar, salt and trans-fats – present in large quantities – and extend to the effects of the excessive processing these foods are subjected to, and the industrial additives and packaging materials used. These all have a range of severe impacts on human health. Furthermore, the convenience, hyper-palatability, poor stability, pervasive marketing and addictive design of ultra-processed food beverages (UPFB) result in their overconsumption, compounding these risks.

Increased UPFB intake is linked to a multitude of health risks, including excess weight and obesity, type 2 diabetes, kidney and liver diseases, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, ischemic heart disease, cancers, and all-cause mortality, among others. The prevalence of preventable NCDs, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes are becoming the main cause of mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. For example, the number of people in Africa who are living with diabetes is expected to reach 47 million by 2045, up from 19 million in 2019. This puts excessive strain on under-resourced and overburdened health systems.

As highlighted in earlier factsheets, the UPFB industry is increasingly targeting low-income countries and communities. This creates the conditions for persistent and perpetual food and nutritional deprivation, and a cycle of NCDs, with long-term health, socio-economic and societal impacts – with generational implications. Yet, the relationship between UPF, malnutrition and NCDs is failing to get the urgent policy attention it demands. Food and nutrition policies on the continent must address UPF consumption by creating and enforcing mandatory measures to bring the unrelenting and aggressive influence of the UPF industry in food environments and policies under control. With the compounding impacts of pervasive and persistent hunger and malnutrition in Africa, the hidden culprit, UPFB, needs to be particularly and urgently addressed to prevent worsening conditions.

Click here to read the fact sheet.