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Restriction On Child-Directed Marketing And Front-Of-Pack Labelling In Uganda: A Legal And Political Feasibility To Creating A Healthy Food Environment

In Uganda, there is a growing apprehension regarding the surge in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) among children. This escalating health concern can be attributed to the unchecked consumption of fast foods and unhealthy diets among children, characterized by their high-calorie content but deficient in essential nutrients. The situation is exacerbated by unchecked food advertisements and marketing and Front of Park (FOP) nutrition labeling targeting children, disseminated through various channels such as radio, billboards, social media, and television. To assess the practicality of introducing and implementing measures to curb child-targeted marketing and FOP nutrition labeling interventions to combat obesity and nutrition-related NCDs in Uganda, this study employed the Health Policy Triangle developed by Walt and Gilson (1994), the Kingdon policy streams, and FELIP frameworks. Additionally, the study employed the stakeholder analysis framework by Brugha and Varvasovszky (2002), to identify and scrutinize the behavior, intentions, interactions, and interests of key stakeholders within the food policy landscape regarding the feasibility of creating a healthy food environment through restriction on child-directed marketing and FOP nutrition labelling in Uganda.

The study’s findings revealed that, although there are obstacles to the adoption of the two interventions aimed at creating a healthy food environment in Uganda, it is legally and politically feasible to adopt both marketing restrictions and FOP labeling interventions. Moreover, the research identified pivotal systems and institutions, such as the Uganda Communications Commission, Uganda National Bureau of Standards, and the Ministry of Health, as instrumental players in the formulation and execution of these interventions. Nonetheless, achieving this goal necessitates enhancing existing laws and frameworks to encompass the specific objectives of these interventions.

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