Perspective: Food environment research priorities for Africa: lessons from the Africa food environment research network
2022
Laar, Amos | Addo, Phyllis | Aryeetey, Richmond | Agyemang, Charles | Zotor, Francis | Asiki, Gershim | Rampalli, Krystal | Amevinya, Gideon | Tandoh, Akua | Nanema, Silver | Adjei, Akosua Pokua | Laar, Matilda | Mensah, Kobby | Laryea, Dennis | Sellen, Daniel | Vandevijvere, Stefanie | Turner, Christopher | Osei-Kwasi, Hibbah | Spires, Mark | Blake, Christine | Rowland, Dominic | Kadiyala, Suneetha | Madzorera, Isabel | Diouf, Adama | Covic, Namukolo | Dzudzor, Isaac | Annan, Reginald | Milani, Peiman | Nortey, John | Bricas, Nicolas | Mphumuzi, Sukati | Anchang, Kenneth Yongabi | Jafri, Ali | Dhall, Meenal | Lee, Amanda | Mackay, Sally | Oti, Samuel | Hofman, Karen | Frongillo, Edward | Holdsworth, Michelle | University of Health and Allied Sciences [Ho] (UHAS) | Université du Ghana = University of Ghana | Universiteit van Amsterdam = University of Amsterdam (UvA) | African Population and Health Research Center, Inc (APHRC Campus) | University of South Carolina [Columbia] | Ghana Health Service [Accra, Ghana] | University of Toronto | Sciensano [Bruxelles] ; Pasteur Network (Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur) | University of Greenwich | University of Sheffield [Sheffield] | City University of London | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health | Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar [Sénégal] (UCAD) | International Food Policy Research Institute [India] (IFPRI) ; International Food Policy Research Institute [Washington] (IFPRI) ; Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research [CGIAR] (CGIAR)-Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research [CGIAR] (CGIAR) | Universität Bonn = University of Bonn | Montpellier Interdisciplinary center on Sustainable Agri-food systems (Social and nutritional sciences) (UMR MoISA) ; Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier (CIHEAM-IAMM) ; Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes (CIHEAM)-Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes (CIHEAM)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Montpellier ; Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro) | Département Environnements et Sociétés (Cirad-ES) ; Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad) | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [Accra, Ghana] (FAO) ; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [Rome, Italie] (FAO) | Université Hassan II de Casablanca = University of Hassan II Casablanca = جامعة الحسن الثاني (ar) (UH2C) | University of Delhi | The University of Queensland (UQ [All campuses : Brisbane, Dutton Park Gatton, Herston, St Lucia and other locations]) | University of Auckland [Auckland] | Internations Development Research Centre (IDRC) ; Partenaires INRAE | University of the Witwatersrand [Johannesburg] (WITS)
International audience
Show more [+] Less [-]English. Over the last two decades, many African countries have undergone dietary and nutrition transitions fueled by globalization, rapid urbanization and development. These changes have altered African food environments and subsequently, dietary behaviors, including food acquisition and consumption. Dietary patterns associated with the nutrition transition have contributed to Africa's complex burden of malnutrition - obesity and other diet-related non-communicable diseases (DR-NCDs), along with persistent food insecurity and undernutrition. Available evidence links unhealthy or obesogenic food environments (including those that market and avail energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods and beverages) with suboptimal diets and associated adverse health outcomes. Elsewhere, governments have responded with policies to improve food environments. However, in Africa the necessary research and policy action have received insufficient attention. Contextual evidence to motivate, enable and create supportive food environments in Africa for better population health is urgently needed. In November 2020, the Measurement, Evaluation, Accountability and Leadership Support for Non-communicable diseases Prevention Project (MEALS4NCDs) convened the first Africa Food Environment Research Network Meeting (FERN2020). This three-day virtual meeting brought researchers from around the world to deliberate on future directions and research priorities related to improving food environments and nutrition across the African continent. The stakeholders shared experiences, best practices, challenges and opportunities for improving the healthiness of food environments and related policies in low- and middle-income countries. In this article, we summarize the proceedings and research priorities identified in the meeting to advance the food environment research agenda in Africa, and thus contribute to the promotion of healthier food environments to prevent DR-NCDs, and other forms of malnutrition.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by Institut national de la recherche agronomique