Dar advances malnutrition, obesity prevention
MEXICO: TANZANIA is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to tackle malnutrition while addressing the growing burden of overweight, obesity and diet-related NonCommunicable Diseases (NCDs).
The strategy combines public awareness campaigns, scientific research and evidence-based policies aimed at improving public health and reducing the economic impact of nutrition-related diseases.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Grace Magembe, outlined the country’s approach during a government leaders’ panel discussion at the International Congress on Obesity (ICO) in Mexico on Wednesday.
She said Tanzania is implementing a range of interventions to address both undernutrition and the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity, which continue to pose serious health and economic challenges.
Among the key initiatives is the “Know Your Numbers” campaign, launched by the Minister for Health, Mr Mohamed Mchengerwa, to encourage citizens to regularly monitor blood pressure, blood sugar levels, body weight, height and waist circumference for early detection and prevention of NDCs.
Dr Magembe said regular screening enables people to identify health risks early and seek timely preventive care or treatment before conditions become severe. She said the government is also investing in scientific research to support evidencebased policymaking.
The initiatives include the National Investment Case Assessment for the Prevention of Overweight and Obesity, assessments of the nutritional quality of packaged foods and studies on consumers’ understanding of nutrition information displayed on food labels.
ALSO READ: Tanzania’s mining sector eyes gains in the 5th Local Content Compliance Forum
According to Dr Magembe, the research is helping identify cost-effective measures to prevent obesity, improve the nutritional quality of foods and guide the development of future food regulations.
She added that Tanzania has developed a National Nutrient Profile Model and contributed to the East African Community Regional Nutrient Profile Model, which will provide the basis for policies on front-ofpack warning labels, regulation of unhealthy food marketing, particularly to children and improvement of school food environments.
The framework is also expected to improve access to nutrition information, promote healthier food choices and strengthen measures to protect children from exposure to unhealthy food marketing.
Dr Magembe attributed the country’s progress to close collaboration between the government, research and higher learning institutions, civil society organisations and development partners, saying sustained partnerships will remain critical in implementing evidence-based interventions to improve nutrition and reduce obesity and other dietrelated NCDs.
