Globalization and nutrition transition in developing countries like Ghana have significantly altered traditional Ghanaian diets. The well-known Ghanaian dishes are increasingly being replaced by foods high in fats and sweeteners. Many now prefer to purchase pizzas, burgers, and sugar-sweetened beverages, among other processed foods, as their go-to options. Nutrition transition refers to the ongoing trends […]
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Why should the Ghanaian youth be interested in the implementation of the sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax?
Young people have become the highest consumers of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), putting them at risk of developing certain diseases that SSBs have been implicated in. Typically known as “adult diseases”, SSB consumption has led to increased cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including obesity, diabetes, hypertension and stroke. Among children, obesity and dental caries are highly […]
Read MoreGhana needs to prioritize food environments and make them healthier
Ghana’s current food environment is characterized by a plethora of easily accessible unhealthy foods which negatively impacts the food choices and health of Ghanaians. Food environments’ is defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) “as an interface that mediates one’s food acquisition and consumption with the wider food system, encompassing dimensions such as the […]
Read MorePredatory marketing of unhealthy foods to children is unethical, should be made illegal in Ghana
Childhood obesity is on the rise across the world. Between 1975 and 2016, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children has increased from 4% to 18% globally.1 The increase is observed almost everywhere (low- and middle-income countries, and high-income countries), particularly within urban area.2 In 2016, more than 340 million children and adolescents (5-19 […]
Read MorePress Conference: Taxation of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
The Ghanaian Parliament in December, 2022, tabled, debated, voted, and approved a Bill to tax Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) and other health-harming commodities and products – as per the Ghana Excise Duty Amendment Bill, 2022. The past couple of months, I have presented my take on this policy intervention. Last week, I shared with you a […]
Read MorePress Release: Taxation of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
The Ghanaian Parliament on December 20, 2022, tabled, debated, voted, and approved (for the second time) a Bill to tax Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) and other products – as per the Ghana Excise Duty Amendment Bill, 2022. Over the past four weeks, I have presented my take on this policy intervention. In my most recent post, […]
Read MorePosition Statement “Our Take”
The Ghanaian Parliament on December 20, 2022, tabled, debated, voted, and approved (for the second time) a Bill to tax Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) and other products – as per the Ghana Excise Duty Amendment Bill, 2022. Over the past four weeks, I have presented my take on this policy intervention. In my most recent post, […]
Read MoreMy Take on Ghana’s Excise Duty Amendment Bill, 2022: [Part IV]
The Ghanaian Parliament on December 20, 2022 debated, voted, and approved a Bill to tax Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) and other products – as per the Ghana Excise Duty Amendment Bill, 2022. Over the past three weeks, I have presented my take on this policy intervention – via this four-part article. In this concluding section of […]
Read MoreMy Take on Ghana’s Excise Duty Amendment Bill, 2022: [Part III]
The Ghanaian Parliament on December 20, 2022 debated, voted, and approved a Bill to tax Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) and other products – as per the Ghana Excise Duty Amendment Bill, 2022. In this series, I present my take on this policy intervention. In Part II, I restated some of the concerns and requests that a […]
Read MoreMy Take on Ghana’s Excise Duty Amendment Bill, 2022: [Part II]
The Ghanaian Parliament on December 20, 2022 debated, voted, and approved a Bill to tax Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) and other products – as per the Ghana Excise Duty Amendment Bill, 2022. In this series, I present my take on this policy intervention. In Part I, I outlined the health harms of SSBs and provided a […]
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