Characterising “obesogenic” versus “protective” food consumption, and their value chain among Ghanaian households

ABSTRACT Objectives: This paper explores the characteristics of Ghanaian households’ consumption of obesogenic versus protective foods, including their retail, distribution, and origin. Design: A household food consumption survey was conducted using an adapted Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemi...

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Main Authors: Reginald Adjetey Annan, Nana Ama Frimpomaa Agyapong, Robert Aidoo, Charles Apprey, Linda Nana Esi Aduku, Elizabeth C Swart
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press
Series:Public Health Nutrition
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Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000114/type/journal_article
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author Reginald Adjetey Annan
Nana Ama Frimpomaa Agyapong
Robert Aidoo
Charles Apprey
Linda Nana Esi Aduku
Elizabeth C Swart
author_facet Reginald Adjetey Annan
Nana Ama Frimpomaa Agyapong
Robert Aidoo
Charles Apprey
Linda Nana Esi Aduku
Elizabeth C Swart
author_sort Reginald Adjetey Annan
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Objectives: This paper explores the characteristics of Ghanaian households’ consumption of obesogenic versus protective foods, including their retail, distribution, and origin. Design: A household food consumption survey was conducted using an adapted Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study Food Frequency Questionnaire. Product pathways for selected obesogenic (processed meat, Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, and biscuits) and protective (cooked vegetables, legumes, and fish) foods were traced from retailers through distributors/wholesalers to producers. Setting: Rural and urban communities in the Ashanti Region and selected retail/wholesale/producers nationwide. Participants: 612 households, 209 retailers and 185 wholesalers/distributors. Results: About 20% of households consume Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSB) and confectionery weekly, and just 2% consumed processed meat. Of the protective foods, fish had the highest proportion of households consuming weekly (74.5%), followed by cooked vegetables (53.1%) and legumes (22.8%). Frequent SSB consumption is higher in younger (p<0.001), male (p=0.010), urban (p<0.001), and more educated (p<0.001) food purchaser households. Below 10% of households followed the healthiest dietary pattern (high-protective-and-low-obesogenic) but higher in older and more educated food purchaser households. In contrast, most households (about 80%) consumption patterns did not discriminate between obesogenic and protective foods. Generally, characteristics of purchasers from retail/wholesale outlets agree with those of households, where obesogenic foods were retailed to younger, less educated buyers than older, more educated ones. While the protective foods had a strong local producer presence, the obesogenic foods were predominantly imported. Conclusion: Household consumption and retail/distribution of obesogenic foods are associated with socio-demographic characteristics, but obesogenic foods are almost entirely produced outside Ghana. Policies that regulate importation on health grounds can promote a healthier food environment.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 1368-9800
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language English
publisher Cambridge University Press
record_format Article
series Public Health Nutrition
spelling doaj-art-62f85b11af3440db8459784adbb339262025-02-06T08:21:52ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-272713610.1017/S1368980025000114Characterising “obesogenic” versus “protective” food consumption, and their value chain among Ghanaian householdsReginald Adjetey Annan0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6559-1636Nana Ama Frimpomaa Agyapong1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3036-6578Robert Aidoo2Charles Apprey3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4071-5049Linda Nana Esi Aduku4Elizabeth C Swart5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7786-3117Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), PMB University Post Office, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, GhanaDepartment of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness & Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi Ghana.Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), PMB University Post Office, Kumasi, GhanaOffice of Grants and Research, College of Science Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), PMB University Post Office, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of the Western Cape, South Africa ABSTRACT Objectives: This paper explores the characteristics of Ghanaian households’ consumption of obesogenic versus protective foods, including their retail, distribution, and origin. Design: A household food consumption survey was conducted using an adapted Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study Food Frequency Questionnaire. Product pathways for selected obesogenic (processed meat, Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, and biscuits) and protective (cooked vegetables, legumes, and fish) foods were traced from retailers through distributors/wholesalers to producers. Setting: Rural and urban communities in the Ashanti Region and selected retail/wholesale/producers nationwide. Participants: 612 households, 209 retailers and 185 wholesalers/distributors. Results: About 20% of households consume Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSB) and confectionery weekly, and just 2% consumed processed meat. Of the protective foods, fish had the highest proportion of households consuming weekly (74.5%), followed by cooked vegetables (53.1%) and legumes (22.8%). Frequent SSB consumption is higher in younger (p<0.001), male (p=0.010), urban (p<0.001), and more educated (p<0.001) food purchaser households. Below 10% of households followed the healthiest dietary pattern (high-protective-and-low-obesogenic) but higher in older and more educated food purchaser households. In contrast, most households (about 80%) consumption patterns did not discriminate between obesogenic and protective foods. Generally, characteristics of purchasers from retail/wholesale outlets agree with those of households, where obesogenic foods were retailed to younger, less educated buyers than older, more educated ones. While the protective foods had a strong local producer presence, the obesogenic foods were predominantly imported. Conclusion: Household consumption and retail/distribution of obesogenic foods are associated with socio-demographic characteristics, but obesogenic foods are almost entirely produced outside Ghana. Policies that regulate importation on health grounds can promote a healthier food environment. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000114/type/journal_articleNutrition transitionobesogenic food environmentGhana
spellingShingle Reginald Adjetey Annan
Nana Ama Frimpomaa Agyapong
Robert Aidoo
Charles Apprey
Linda Nana Esi Aduku
Elizabeth C Swart
Characterising “obesogenic” versus “protective” food consumption, and their value chain among Ghanaian households
Public Health Nutrition
Nutrition transition
obesogenic food environment
Ghana
title Characterising “obesogenic” versus “protective” food consumption, and their value chain among Ghanaian households
title_full Characterising “obesogenic” versus “protective” food consumption, and their value chain among Ghanaian households
title_fullStr Characterising “obesogenic” versus “protective” food consumption, and their value chain among Ghanaian households
title_full_unstemmed Characterising “obesogenic” versus “protective” food consumption, and their value chain among Ghanaian households
title_short Characterising “obesogenic” versus “protective” food consumption, and their value chain among Ghanaian households
title_sort characterising obesogenic versus protective food consumption and their value chain among ghanaian households
topic Nutrition transition
obesogenic food environment
Ghana
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000114/type/journal_article
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