Enforce Legislation Against Unhealthy Foods and Beverages

By Allia Noshie

A group of researchers from the University of Ghana (UG) School Of Public Health has called on government to enforce legislation against the promotion and sponsorship of unhealthy foods and beverages on the market.

They made the call at a stakeholder workshop in Accra, yesterday, on the research findings of food choices that led to non-communicable diseases.

Participants at the workshop included personnel from the Consumer Protection Agency, Ghana Health Service, World Health Organisation among others.

Dr Amos Laar, a senior lecturer at the School of Public Health who presented the findings on, 'Dietary transitions in Ghanaian cities' said it was essential to enforce laws to regulate the consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages on the market.

He noted that the consumption of unhealthy diets had contributed to the increase in obesity and other diet-related non-communicable diseases which included diabetes and cancers.

Dr Laar said it was time the government created policies to create "healthy food environment stressing that a healthy environment influenced what people consumed".

The senior lecturer said even though government's role in promoting healthy eating habit was recognised at the international level, there was the need to implement strategic measures to reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods.

He asked the government to provide funds to support research findings targeted at improving nutrition and reducing non-communicable diseases.

Presenting a paper on, 'Benchmarking Ghana's policies for creating healthy food environments', Dr Richmond Aryeetey, a senior lecturer at the School of Public Health said research findings had revealed poverty and high cost of food as cause of poor nutrition.

The participants called for intensified public education and sensitisation of parents, school pupils, students and teachers on good nutrition.

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