UNICEF advocates taxation of unhealthy foods to curb childhood diet-related diseases in Ghana

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Taxing unhealthy foods high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats is a critical policy measure needed to reduce diet-related chronic diseases among Ghanaian children, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Presenting on UNICEF Ghana's health and nutrition programme activities at a maiden media café on Wednesday, June 26, Dr. Juan Emmanuel Dewez, Chief of Health and Nutrition at UNICEF Ghana said taxation is important to curb the rising consumption of ultra-processed foods among children.

"Overweight/obesity and diet-related chronic diseases are rising rapidly in Ghana.

“This is exacerbated by rapid urbanization and changes in dietary patterns with lower consumption of fresh foods and a higher consumption of ultra-processed foods," quoted Dr. Dewez from the presentation slides.

Data from Ghana's Demographic and Health Survey revealed that 32% of children aged 6–23 months were given sweet beverages.

It further shows that 33% were given unhealthy foods, and 32% were not given vegetables or fruits, highlighting poor dietary habits among Ghanaian children.

To address this, Dr. Dewez said "Taxation on unhealthy foods is a policy measure to reduce the consumption of foods and beverages that are high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats."

UNICEF is partnering with the University of Ghana School of Public Health to conduct research on developing appropriate taxation standards and studying the impact of different taxation approaches in West African countries to guide Ghana's policy on taxing unhealthy foods and beverages.

The goal is to leverage fiscal policies to incentivize healthy food choices and funding for child health programmes, while curbing obesity and non-communicable diseases associated with poor diets among Ghanaian children.