
Mary Nanyonjo, a nutritionist from Kayunga Hospital showcases healthy foods during self-care celebration in the district in July 2024. Health experts say deliberate action to adopt and uphold healthy eating can save us a lot of money in terms of health spending, improve our productivity and general wellbeing. PHOTO/TONNY ABET
Habits are hard to change, but it's within our power to take the required steps that help us change patterns for a quality and healthier life.
Health experts, in their advice for the New Year, say deliberate action to adopt and uphold healthy eating can save us a lot of money in terms of health spending, improve our productivity and general wellbeing.
Healthy eating is important for general health and good body weight—an important factor in preventing common conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular (heart) disease.
Specifically, the experts say people should prioritise reducing excessive consumption of alcohol, pork, sugar-laden drinks and other fatty foods which often top the list of indulgent foods.
This, they say, should go hand-in-hand with increasing physical exercise (activity) such as taking time to walk, ride or engage in sports.
Boiled options
The experts advise people to explore the "safer" alternatives by eating boiled food, fish, local chicken, roasted meat, fruits and vegetables, taking more water, and eating whole-grain bread, pasta, and rice.
Dr Charles Oyoo Akiya, the commissioner for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) prevention at the Ministry of Health, says the country is currently struggling with the rising burden of diseases that can be prevented through lifestyle adjustment.
“The cost of medication and treatment of NCDs is not easy. It's a lifelong condition. It's very costly to manage. So, the best medicine is prevention and the best medicine is eating healthy foods,” he observes.
There was an overall significant increase in the prevalence of high blood glucose (an indicator of diabetes) from 1.3 percent in 2014, to 2.9 percent in 2023, according to a new national survey report by researchers from the Ministry of Health and Academia.
The country is also struggling with a high burden of heart diseases which are linked to build-up of cholesterol from bad fats in the blood vessels which can block blood flow and cause death.’
Avoid /reduce alcohol intake
According to health experts, NCDs can be prevented by limiting alcohol consumption, quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling stress, eating a healthy diet, reducing salt and sugar intake, being physically active and doing regular medical check-ups to detect the condition early and avert it.
The report shows that alcohol use increased from 28.3 percent to 31.8 percent between 2014 and 2023 amid the rising prevalence of sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets in mushrooming urban centres.
Dr Oyoo says enjoyment should not “mean consuming foods and drinks that are harmful to the health of an individual.”
“The day will pass, but the damage that it [the food] will have caused remains in the body –which is a residual damage. If you consume a lot of alcohol, it damages the liver because alcohol is toxic,” he adds.
Mr Daniel Kamara, a nutritionist from the Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre, says: “Enjoy alcohol in moderation and always alternate with water. Alcohol can dehydrate you and impair judgment.”
According to information from the IS National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol can damage the brain, heart, liver pancreas and increase cancer risks.
The institute also noted: “Drinking too much can weaken your immune system, making your body a much easier target for disease. Chronic drinkers are more liable to contract diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis than people who do not drink too much.”
Dr Oyoo says: “Much as we are talking about NCDs because of drinking alcohol, the HIV is still there.
Syphilis is still there. STDs are still there. Pregnancy is still there for the ladies who go unprotected. So, they should be very careful and mindful of tomorrow.”
The commissioner also warns those who have been advised by doctors not to consume alcohol to adhere to the advice.
“For those who are on their medication, be it ARVs or NCD medicine, they should continue taking their medicine as usual. Because if you are given guidance not to drink after taking medicine, you rather do without drinking and take medicine,” he advises.
“Sacrifice the drinks and take your medicine because that will keep you healthy. And the mistake people make is, if you forget about your medication when the disease bounces back, you come with complications and managing complications could be tricky,” he adds.
Avoid sugary foods
Mr Kamara calls for moderation of sugary treats, and consumption of fatty foods and alcohol because of immense health effects.
“Limit sugary drinks, candies, and desserts. These can lead to a sugar crash and leave you feeling sluggish," the nutritionist says.
Dr Bernard Bwambale, a nutritionist from Kabarole Research Centre, notes:
“It would be very nice that communities minimise the consumption of processed sugar because it has a negative effect on insulin a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.”
"Unfortunately, many of us do not know under what circumstances we are taking in a lot of sugar but anytime we take highly processed juices and foods, you’re taking in extra processed sugars which are not needed,’’ Dr Bwambale explains.
High blood sugar causes weight gain, which is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is one of the fast-increasing diseases in the country, which is very expensive to treat. It causes a lot of suffering to the patient, drains the family resources and often results in death.
Still on sugar, according to scientists, eating too much sugar can cause insulin resistance which is one of the first signs of prediabetes.
Information from University Hospitals indicates: "If the body resists the effects of insulin or doesn’t make enough of it, glucose stays in the bloodstream.
High blood sugar levels interrupt normal body system responses and healing, and can cause nerve damage, which can result in vision or limb loss."
Avoid adding extra salt/salty food Dr Bwambale says people should also avoid food with too much salt, which he said is one of the leading risk factors for NCDs.
“As consumers, we need to avoid high consumption of salt. You see someone adding salt to a boiled egg, or raw mangoes even when sodium (main component of salt) is already present. So, persons with hypertension or blood pressure should desist as much as they can on consumption of salt,” Dr Bwambale says.
According to scientists, when one eats too much salt, more water enters the bloodstream, which increases blood pressure.
High blood pressure can damage your body over time and increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and other health problems.

A stall at the International Self-Care Day celebration. Experts say people should avoid fatty and processed foods. PHOTO/TONNY ABET
Reduce fried and fatty foods “Minimise consumption of fried foods, fatty meats, and rich sauces.
These can contribute to weight gain and heart problems,” the nutritionist further advises.
Dr Bwambale notes: “We cannot stop the community from consuming fatty foods, but we need to be careful of how we cook our meals, which also comes with the oil you’re using.”
"Some people around town use cooking oil for more than two weeks, which is disastrous besides being unhealthy. So, those consuming overused cooking oil are taking in free radicals which are cancer-causing compounds,’’ Dr Bwambale says.
Makerere University researchers in a report on food safety last year urged caution on the consumption of some of the deep fried food in Kampala.
“These (recycled oil) get absorbed by the (deep fried) food and are associated with cardiovascular diseases (such as stroke and heart disease), cancers, obesity, diarrhoea, type 2 diabetes and stomach and intestinal discomfort in humans,” the researchers note in their report.
The researchers also observe that some volatile and sweet-smelling substances formed during frying, when inhaled over time “expose food processors to respiratory tract cancer”.
Deep-fried foods are increasingly becoming popular in Uganda and the world over due to their distinct texture (crispy crust and tender and moist inside), and taste amid the effect of rapid urbanisation, according to the available studies.
Be careful with pork
“We shouldn’t rush for pork, half- cooked [pork]. You end up getting pork tapeworm, which may lead to epilepsy.This is very dangerous,” Dr Oyoo warns.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, the consumption rate of pork is very high in Uganda.
Ugandans on average eat 141 million kilogrammes of pork translating into 3.5kg per capita pork consumption.
What you should eat
The experts, however, say one can still enjoy their special days by eating healthy.
“Boiled food is very nice. Take fish, chicken, local chicken. These are good foods,” Dr Oyoo notes.
Mr Kamara says people should eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, lean protein (lean meat), and whole grains and drink enough water.
“Load up on colourful fruits and vegetables. They are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fibre, keeping you feeling full and satisfied. Choose lean protein sources like grilled fish, chicken, or turkey. These provide sustained energy and help you feel full,” he advises.
“Opt for whole-grain bread, pasta, and rice. They offer sustained energy and are a good source of fibre," he adds.
Dr Bwambale, like other experts, also calls for more consumption of whole foods due to their nutritional value.
“All food is important but this time we are promoting the consumption of whole food. For instance, taking maize instead of highly processed maize, which is posho," he says.
"In places like schools where posho cannot be avoided, we are calling upon the schools to in addition with the posho, add foods like potatoes, yams, millet, beans, and pumpkins. So we want to bring our indigenous foods back to the menu due to their nutritional value,’’ Dr Bwambale explains.
Mr Kamara says: “Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and flush out toxins.”
He also advises that we “pay attention to [our] hunger and fullness cues.” Stop eating, he says,“when you feel satisfied, not stuffed. Brush and floss regularly to maintain good oral health."
Foods for good blood
Dr Aggrey Dhabangi, a transfusion medicine physician at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, says people should aim at having healthy and enough blood in the body to pre- vent diseases such as anaemia and improve general health.
"Eat a balanced but a diet that is rich in iron is paramount in both the young and the old. Iron is not only essential for blood formation but also for other things like cognition,” he says.
The clinical team leader at Uganda Blood Transfusion Service (UBTS), Mr Samuel Davis Wante, expounds: "When we talk of feeding well, you must be consuming plenty of greens, plenty of fruits, and plenty of grainy foods. Grainy foods like peanuts, beans, simsim, millet bread, posho, and rice,” he advises.
He continues: “These are foods that help in building iron content in our body and promoting healthy blood and quality of blood in our bodies. So, we encourage people to exercise, to live a healthy lifestyle, (and) to feed well."
WHAT TO EAT, AVOID
Avoid/moderate foods
• Limit sugary drinks (soda), candies,
and dessert and ice cream.
• Avoid or reduce consumption of fatty
foods (fatty meat and pork).
• Avoid excessive consumption of alco-
hol and quit drinking if possible.
• Reduce/medorate consumption of
cheese (used in pizza and other foods).
• Avoid chicken skin.
• Don’t eat poorly cooked pork.
• Reduce/moderate consumption of
white bread.
• Reduce/avoid fried foods --fried
chicken, fish and potatoes.
• Reduce/avoid processed or red meat
(canned meat, sausages).
• Avoid/reduce consumption of super
refined flour because of high levels of
calories.
• Avoid eating too much salt.
Recommended foods
• Eat roasted/grilled/boiled meat.
• Eat fish and local chicken.
• Eat more fruits -mangoes, oranges,
jackfruit, watermelon, pineapple, avo-
cado.
• Eat more vegetables.
• Take more water.
• Eat whole grain bread.
• Eat nuts and seeds.
• Take milk and organic yogurt (bongo).
• Eat eggs.
• Eat beans and soy.
• Eat mushroom.
• Eat sweet potatoes and cassava.
• Eat groundnut or simsim butter.
• Eat millet and sorghum flour.