Vegetable

• Across the continent the urban share of the total population is projected to increase to 50% by 2030 and 60% by 2050.
• Urbanisation is associated with lifestyle changes such as less physical activity and less labour-intensive work.
• This is often accompanied by an increased intake of high-calorie fast foods, snacks, and sugar-sweetened beverages.

Food diaries

• Using data from food diaries recorded by 1,506 households over a two-week period, I calculated how many calories, macronutrients and micronutrients were consumed and compared them to the recommended requirements for a healthy life.
• Besides food diaries, our data also included information on household characteristics and their socioeconomic status.

Homegrown or highly processed?

• This was because they were not eating sufficient quantities of food.
• Most food was home-grown, which provided beneficial nutrients, but diets were not diverse enough to provide all the nutrients needed for healthy living.
• At the opposite end of the scale, residents of Dar es Salaam also ate unhealthy diets, but for very different reasons.

Calories, nutrients or a lack thereof

• Rural households primarily consumed starches, cereals, vegetables and fruit, making up 29%, 21%, 12% and 7% of their diet respectively.
• Plantains, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes and spinach were the most consumed food items in rural areas.
• Many of these nutrients are found in animal foods, which made up a small share of rural diets.
• In terms of quantity, these households tended to consume more, leading to lower levels of nutritional deficiencies than in rural areas.
• About 26% of households did not meet the recommended calorie intake, but this was significantly better than in rural areas.

Next steps

• At the same time, overconsumption of potentially harmful food substances such as fats and sugars can lead to health risks such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
• The findings highlight the need for a varied approach to dealing with nutrient intake and tackling problems such as rising obesity rates.

Hannah Ameye does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

• BEND, Ore., March 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BranchOut Food Inc. (NASDAQ: BOF), a pioneering food technology company and producer of dehydrated fruit and vegetable-based products, today announced that it will debut a brand refresh and launch two new product lines at its exhibit at the Natural Products Expo West, held in Anaheim, CA from March 13-15, 2024.
• This year’s Expo expects to host more than 100,000 attendees and will showcase the newest natural and organic products in foods and beverages, clean beauty and home products, supplements and ingredients.
• Natural Products Expo West is the industry’s largest trade show and works to satisfy consumer demand for products that align with their values, while supporting retailers looking to find the newest trending products to bring to store shelves.
• Eric Healy, CEO of BranchOut Foods, said, “We are excited to bring BranchOut Food’s pioneering technology and products to retailers at this year’s Natural Products Expo West.

• This provides an extended opportunity for foodborne illness to ruin major holiday dishes.
• In a recent USDA study , 96% of handwashing attempts failed due to not including all the necessary steps .
• Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water before and after handling food and when switching between ingredients.
• Cross-contamination is the spread of bacteria from raw meat and poultry onto ready-to-eat food, surfaces, and utensils.

• The event is free and will begin at 2:00PM EST on the Ferry-Morse Facebook page .
• Just in time for National Gardening Day on April 14, the event will share inspirational gardening tips and fresh, garden-to-table recipes made with ingredients grown from Ferry-Morse’s collection of seeds and plants.
• The virtual event invites gardeners, home chefs, and foodies alike to enjoy interactive demonstrations hosted by popular creators as well as Ferry-Morse’s gardening experts.
• For more information and to save the date for Ferry-Morse’s Garden Get-Together, visit https://ferrymorse.com/pages/ferry-morse-garden-get-together-live-2024 and tune in on Facebook Live at 2:00PM EST on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.