CSOs demand front-of-package warning labels to protect consumers from excess salt, sugar and fat
Sugar, salt and fat are important ingredients in many foods and contribute to taste, texture and palatability. However, nutrition experts warn that consuming excessive amounts of these ingredients can have long-term health consequences, particularly by increasing the risk of NCDs.
Media and CSOs during the launch of a media campaign for the front of pack warning label. (Credit: Prossy Nandudu)
Civil society organizations under the Uganda National Food Policy Coalition are calling on the government to enact and implement Front-of-Package Warning Label Regulations to help consumers identify packaged, processed and ultra-processed foods that contain excessive amounts of sugar, fat and salt.
The call was made by Henry Richard Kimera, Team Leader at Consent Uganda, during the launch of a one-year mass media campaign spearheaded by CONSENT to raise awareness about the health risks associated with excessive consumption of sugar, fat and salt.
According to Kimera, the regulations should be fast-tracked through the recently launched Nutrient Profile Model (NPM), which, among other provisions, sets benchmarks to guide food manufacturers on when warning labels should be placed on the front of food packages.
The labels would alert consumers when products are high in nutrients and ingredients of critical concern, such as sugar, salt and fat.
According to the Ministry of Health, three out of every 10 Ugandans die annually from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
Additionally, adult Ugandans face a 22% risk of dying prematurely from an NCD. Research has shown that NCDs impose a severe and multidimensional burden on households, the health-care system and the broader Ugandan economy.
At the household level, families affected by NCDs often face high health-care expenditures, which can lead to impoverishment through the sale of assets, borrowing money and reduced spending on basic necessities.
What is wrong with sugar, salt and fat in food?
Bernard Bwambale, a nutritionist at the Global Consumer Center Uganda (CONSENT), said the three ingredients make food products tasty, crispy and more palatable, but consuming too much of them can have long-term effects on health.
Henry Kimera, the team leader Consent Uganda addressing participants. (Credit: Prossy Nandudu)
Fat
Bwambale said fat becomes a health concern when consumed in excessive amounts, particularly when unhealthy fats accumulate in and around key body organs. This can contribute to insulin resistance, a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
He noted that saturated fats — which are commonly solid at room temperature and are found in foods such as some margarines — are among the fats of concern when consumed in excess.
Beyond diabetes, excessive consumption of unhealthy fats can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, which affect the heart and blood vessels. These include hypertension, ischemic heart disease and other chronic heart conditions, Bwambale added.
Sugar
When a person consumes excessive amounts of sugar, the body may be unable to use all of it for energy. Some of the excess can be converted into fat and stored in adipose tissue.
Excessive amounts of added sugar can be consumed through products such as baked goods and soft drinks, where sugar is added as an ingredient.
Salt
When salt is consumed in excessive amounts, the sodium it contains causes the body to retain more water. This increases the volume of blood circulating through the blood vessels, placing additional strain on the heart and contributing to an increased risk of high blood pressure.
So, how can consumers be protected?
This is why CONSENT and other civil society organizations are advocating for mandatory Front-of-Package Warning Label Regulations.
The regulations would require food manufacturers to clearly label processed and ultra-processed food products that contain high levels of nutrients and ingredients of critical concern.
For example, products exceeding established thresholds could carry prominent warnings such as “High in Sugar,” “High in Fat” or “High in Salt.”
The CSOs argue that such labels would give consumers clear, simple and visible information at the point of purchase, enabling them to make more informed decisions about the foods they consume.