Investment in transportation key to healthy food environment — CSIR-STEPRI

The project was conceived against the backdrop that, even though the food environment played a critical role in shaping dietary behaviour and health outcomes, there was increasing evidence of an unhealthy food environment that was contributing significantly to poor diet quality, rising overweight and obesity, as well as the double burden of malnutrition.

Findings Tracing the food supply trend in Ghana over 40 years (1982-2022), the study found that in terms of cereal consumption, 34 per cent of the population consumed rice; maize accounted for 29 per cent while wheat and millet were responsible for 16 per cent and 11 per cent, respectively.

The "From Evidence to Action" policy recommendations of CSIR-STEPRI said evidence suggested that an unhealthy food environment contributed significantly to poor diet quality, rising overweight and obesity, as well as the double burden of malnutrition, particularly among poor urban populations.