Children Are Dying from the Food They Eat

Kampala, Uganda – The Centre for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT) urgently calls attention to the rising burden of diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among children in Uganda. As food systems become increasingly industrialised and commercialised, the very foods meant to nourish are now endangering lives.

“Our children are paying the price for unhealthy diets with their health and futures,” said Dr. Kabanda David (PhD), Executive Director at CEFROHT. “The alarming rise in diet-related diseases among Uganda’s youngest demands immediate action to safeguard their right to adequate and safe food.”

Recent estimates indicate that 35% of Ugandans die from diet-related causes. Health facilities, including the Uganda Cancer Institute, the Heart Institute, and the Lung Institute, report a surge in child patients suffering from NCDs directly linked to poor diets. Disturbingly, new cancer cases in children now exceed those in adults, which is a trend that cannot be ignored.

A key driver of this crisis is the widespread consumption of ultra-processed foods high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats. These products dominate school canteens, shops, and roadside stalls, aggressively marketed to children through gifts and branding strategies that exploit their vulnerability. Many children, whether in private or government schools, lack the awareness to make healthy choices, while parents remain unaware of the hidden dangers in these foods.

As a result, conditions like diabetes, stomach and colon cancers, hypertension, and other NCDs, once considered adult diseases, are increasingly diagnosed in children.

CEFROHT calls on stakeholders, government agencies, civil society, educators, and parents to act now by:

• Expediting the formulation of an evidence-based Nutrient Profiling Model.
• Enacting policies to restrict the marketing of unhealthy foods to children.
• Reforming food safety and nutrition standards in schools and markets.
• Supporting agroecological farming and sustainable agriculture.
• Educating the public on the risks of ultra-processed foods and promoting healthier alternatives.

“Food should nourish, not harm,” emphasised Dr. Kabanda. “Uganda’s children deserve better. We must reimagine our food systems to protect their right to health.”

Join the movement for healthier food environments in Uganda.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Centre for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT)
Email: info@cefroht.org
Website: www.cefroht.org
Twitter/X: @CefrohtUg