Stevano, Sara

English

SOAS Research Online

13/02/2020 Food habits of kids in Accra show how unhealthy diets take roothttps://theconversation.com/food-habits-of-kids-in-accra-show-how-unhealthy-diets-take-root-123149 1/6AuthorSara StevanoResearch Associate, InternationalPolitical Economy, King's CollegeLondonAcademic rigour, journalistic flairFood habits of kids in Accra show how unhealthy dietstake rootOctober 2, 2019 2.44pm BSTWhat we eat is changing on a global scale. Changes in the types of food that are available andaffordable, where we buy food and how we prepare it carry significant consequences for nutrition andhealth.Until the 20th century, the key nutritional issue was that people could not afford sufficient food or thenecessary nutrients. But nowadays, the single most important issue is the co-existence ofundernutrition – lack of access to sufficient quantities of food – and overnutrition – excessiveconsumption of food.Across the world, calorie intake is on the rise and so is consumption of vegetable oils, meats and ultra-processed foods. Overall, imbalanced diets and multiple, at times opposite, nutritional problems areat the core of today’s public health challenges. Middle-income countries like Ghana embody thisambivalence. They show the highest increased consumption of unhealthy foods, but alsoimprovements in consumption of healthy foods.Diet patterns have changed in urban areas. Sara Stevano13/02/2020 Food habits of kids in Accra show how unhealthy diets take roothttps://theconversation.com/food-habits-of-kids-in-accra-show-how-unhealthy-diets-take-root-123149 2/6The shifts in diet and lifestyle are undeniable. But a key question remains unanswered: how does theglobalisation of food systems affect different groups? Given the multiple burdens of malnutrition, it isimportant to understand who is more likely to suffer from undernutrition or from obesity.To address this question, we did research that combined a detailed investigation of diets with theanalysis of food systems. The aim of our study of food consumption among school children in Accrawas to understand diets and contextualise them in social and economic living conditions within theurban food landscapes.We explored food consumption among school children from different socio-economic backgrounds inAccra. We carried out a student survey in five junior high schools in the Accra Metropolitan Area. Wedid qualitative interviews with schoolchildren, representatives of the food industry and publicofficials.Our findings reveal that inequality and dietary change frame today’s urban food question in Accra.Socio-economic status is a critical dimension of diets, with poorer children more vulnerable to foodinsecurity and fewer food choices.But the consumption of packaged and processed foods, often sugar-rich and nutrient-poor, cutsacross wealth groups.Ensuring that urban populations have access to affordable food, a long-standing goal of agriculturaland food policy, is essential but no longer sufficient. Quality matters too. Understanding howunhealthy diets take root requires exploring the role of the food industry in making cheap, enticingand unhealthy food options available to urban residents.The backgroundUrban diets are changing, as agricultural and food systems have become globalised and created newforms of food production, distribution, and trade. The nutritional implications for the Global Southare seen in rising obesity and non-communicable diseases alongside persisting food insecurity andold-fashioned food policies.Understanding how patterns of globalisation affect the welfare of populations is a key developmentquestion. But we don’t know very much about the way that the globalisation of food and agriculturesystems affects different individuals or groups.Research suggests that dietary change will be experienced differently by rich and poor, and by urbanand rural populations.In Ghana, national statistics suggest that there is a story of dietary change with remarkable reduction,but not elimination, of hunger and under-nutrition. Alongside this there’s rising overweight andobesity, particularly in urban areas, among wealthier people and women.Ghana is self-sufficient in the production of maize, cassava and yam but is reliant on imports of rice,wheat and meat. Diets are becoming less reliant on cereals and imports of dairy products, poultry and13/02/2020 Food habits of kids in Accra show how unhealthy diets take roothttps://theconversation.com/food-habits-of-kids-in-accra-show-how-unhealthy-diets-take-root-123149 3/6Agriculture Public health Food Ghana West Africa Malnutrition Accra Globalisation RandDsugar have been on an upward trend since the mid-1990s.This may indicate that diets are becoming more diverse. But estimates of imports don’t allow us torule out concerns about the deterioration of diets. Ghana is one of the fastest-growing markets forpackaged foods and snacks, in particular. Crucially, we need to consider these changes in foodproduction and trade in the context of rising inequality in the country.What we foundOfficial statistics tend to portray socio-economic and nutrition inequality as reflecting urban-ruraldivides. But our study sheds light on the significance of food inequality within an urban area.Through the daily lives of schoolchildren, we found that that children have access to different types offood depending on where they live and which school they go to.Some schools have a canteen and others do not; children whose schools don’t have a canteen rely onfood street vendors to meet their food needs during the day.As expected, our results show that children from poorer socio-economic backgrounds are morevulnerable to food insecurity, lower dietary diversity and poor food consumption. Food insecurity, farfrom being a rural problem, concerns the urban poor too. Low or irregular access to money, mostlikely linked to low and fluctuating household incomes, poses a major obstacle to the ability ofchildren to buy the food they need during the school day.A group of children in the sample have their first meal at the first or second break at school. These arechildren from poorer backgrounds, a finding that suggests that low or irregular incomes determinethe number of meals children can have.Though it is clear that urban food inequality is driven by wealth, the dynamics are complex. Take theconsumption of packaged and processed foods. These foods don’t only feature in the diets of thewealthier groups but cut across wealth groups and peak for those in the middle. They are desirable,accessible and relatively affordable.The food industry makes effective use of informal distribution channels, making packaged foodswidely available in the markets, on the streets and, particularly, in the proximity of schools.What needs to be doneInformal distribution is an important aspect of the urban food landscape. Knowing which foods arehealthy or unhealthy does not stop children from consuming foods that are enticing and affordable.It’s therefore essential to consider the food industry’s role when it comes to food environments thatoffer unhealthy, cheap and enticing options.Do you think more people should hear what the experts are saying?13/02/2020 Food habits of kids in Accra show how unhealthy diets take roothttps://theconversation.com/food-habits-of-kids-in-accra-show-how-unhealthy-diets-take-root-123149 4/6The Conversation serves society by making knowledge accessible to everyone, notjust a select few. Our only agenda is a better informed public. If you care aboutwhat we do please make a donation now and help secure our future.The Conversation UKYou might also likeDonate NowWhen it comes to leisure, disabled Ghanaians get a raw deal. What can be done13/02/2020 Food habits of kids in Accra show how unhealthy diets take roothttps://theconversation.com/food-habits-of-kids-in-accra-show-how-unhealthy-diets-take-root-123149 5/6Malnutrition is on the rise in older adults – how to spot the signsUK-Africa trade and investment: who benefits?13/02/2020 Food habits of kids in Accra show how unhealthy diets take roothttps://theconversation.com/food-habits-of-kids-in-accra-show-how-unhealthy-diets-take-root-123149 6/6Water sachet use in Ghana: how to stop the pollution

Food Habits of Kids in Ghana Show How Unhealthy Diets Take Root

https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/32336/1/Stevano_Food%20habits%20of%20kids%20in%20Accra%20show%20how%20unhealthy%20diets%20take%20root.pdf

Food Habits of Kids in Ghana Show How Unhealthy Diets Take Root

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