Consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods by the African poor: Evidence from Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda

Abstract

We use national Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) datasets from Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda to examine consumption by the rural and urban poor of "unhealthy foods" (including ultra-processed foods such as sweets and sugary beverages) versus "healthy foods" beyond starchy staples (such as vegetables, beans, animal products, and fruits). Consumption of processed foods and nonstaples is often associated in policy discussion in Africa with middle-class urban consumers rather than the poor. We analyzed household food consumption expenditure with Locally Weighted Scatterplot Smoothing (LOWESS) curves and augmented Engel regressions. We found that substantial shares of the consumption expenditure of the poor, both rural and urban, are on healthy and unhealthy foods. We found, surprisingly, that the poor's food consumption patterns do not differ sharply from the middle classes', in rural and urban areas, except for the case of ultra-processed foods of which the poor still consume much less than the middle class. We found that the poor dedicate 25% of their food consumption expenditure to the category vegetables/beans, versus 22% and 17% by the lower-middle and upper-middle-income strata. Fruits/animal products constitute 17% of the poor's consumption expenditure compared to 23% and 27% by the lower-and upper-middle strata. Ultra-processed food (e.g., sugarsweetened beverages) form 12% of the consumption of the poor, versus 20% and 32% for the lower-and upper-middle strata. Shares are increasing with income starting at incomes well below the poverty line. Nonincome factors play important roles: e.g., rural off-farm employment is associated with more consumption expenditure of processed foods by the poor due to the opportunity cost of time.

An overview of the Ugandan food system: outcomes, drivers & activities

“…On average, Ugandans spend nearly 50% of their total expenditure on food (Dolislager et al, 2022). This average is notably higher for the low socio-economic classes (57%) compared to the highest socio-economic class (41%).…”

“…• Ugandan consumers spend 57% of their total expenditure on food on average (Dolislager et al, 2022).…”

Perception and attitudes of street food vendors toward the healthiness of meals prepared and sold in Dodoma

“…This was observed when vendors explained their perception of a balanced meal where some perceived it to be the one having more than two kinds of foods regardless of the food groups, e.g., a meal consisting of stiff porridge, meat, and beans would be considered as balanced. In order to ensure accurate information, especially regarding a balanced diet, it is important for vendors to be introduced to and be familiarized with "My Plate Guidelines", which gives a proper guide in ensuring meals prepared are adequate (Cohen et al, 2017).…”

“…The rapid urbanization and economic improvement in urban areas of LMICs have led to a dietary transition due to an increased demand for meat, sugar‐sweetened beverages, and processed foods (Popkin, 2015; Sousa et al, 2022). Studies in low‐ and middle‐income countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, and Nigeria have shown that there is an increase in consumption of meals lacking adequate fruits and vegetables, soft drinks, and sugar‐sweetened beverages, as well as high consumption of fast foods (Dolislager et al, 2022; Pallangyo et al, 2020). Nowadays, people increasingly spend more time away from homes due to income‐generating activities and therefore have limited time to prepare meals (Hawkes et al, 2017).…”

Healthy Eating for All? The Challenge of Adhering to Dietary Guidelines for Low-Income Groups in China

“…Studies confirm that poor individuals have less dietary diversity than wealthier individuals [ 11 , 17 ], and people in poverty rely more on relatively inexpensive starchy staples and less on vegetables and animal foods [ 17 , 18 ]. However, studies also concluded that the poor in some areas rely more on healthy vegetables and pulses than the middle class [ 19 ].…”