Why does a region with agricultural richness still struggle with malnutrition and rising chronic diseases? This paradox lies at the heart of Uganda’s nutrition challenge. Despite the remarkable biodiversity in the Rwenzori region, diets remain far from optimal, particularly low in fruits and vegetables. Globally, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake is a leading risk factor for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 400 grams (five servings) of fruits and vegetables daily, yet in Uganda, only 12.2% of adults meet this target. In Western Uganda, the figure drops even further to just 5.3%, a striking contrast for a region that is agriculturally productive.
The 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) further highlights concerning health trends, where 23% of women of reproductive age are overweight, with 9% classified as obese, and approximately 13% of men are overweight. Additionally, 7.8% of women suffer from hypertension, 3.0% from hyperglycemia, and 2.4% from chronic heart disease. At the same time, undernutrition persists with 37% of children under five experience stunting, 1.5% are wasted, and 11.4% are underweight.
The coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition (often referred to as the double burden of malnutrition) present a critical nutrition challenge in a region celebrated for its agricultural productivity. Furthermore, while Indigenous Fruits and Vegetables thrive in the Rwenzori region, scientific evidence on their utilization remains limited, constraining efforts to design effective, culturally grounded nutrition interventions.
To address this gap, the Department of Food Innovation and Nutrition at MMU, in collaboration with Yonder Life and the Department of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism at KU Leuven under the TEAM Project, recently engaged the community of Harugongo Subcounty in Kabarole District to ascertain the causes of high mal-nutrition in the region and probably come up with possible solutions.
The initiative seeks to explore the drivers of Indigenous Fruit and Vegetable consumption, a crucial step towards reconnecting traditional diets with nutrition outcomes.
Insights from this engagement will inform culturally relevant strategies to promote indigenous fruit and vegetable consumption, enhance cardiometabolic health, and combat undernutrition.
The main objective is to leverage the region’s rich biodiversity to improve nutrition outcomes.