Stakeholders call for action on childhood overweight and obesity

23 September 2026, 8:56 pm

By Nakato Annet

Parents and schools have been urged to encourage children to eat healthy foods and take part in regular physical activities to prevent overweight, obesity and other health problems.

The call was made during a three-day Sports for Health programme held at Kitebi Primary School in Kampala.

The programme was organised by the Scaling Up Nutrition and Food Security for Youth, Adolescents and Children Civil Society Network (SUNFOYAC-CSN).

Gilbert Orikiriiza, the Education Officer in charge of Physical Education and Sports at the Ministry of Education and Sports, said parents have an important role to play in shaping children’s eating habits.

He said although schools can promote healthy lifestyles through sports and school feeding programmes, parents also need to pay attention to the food children eat at home and carry to school.

Orikiriiza encouraged parents to provide children with more natural and nutritious foods instead of relying heavily on processed and fast foods.

Most of the children are fed on fast foods and the parents also pack fast foods for children when they are going to school,” he said.

He added that children should be encouraged to remain physically active even when they are not involved in competitive sports.

Cissy Kaamu, the Technical Advisor for Health at Plan International Uganda, said more attention should be given to the nutrition needs of adolescents because it is an important stage of growth and development.

Kaamu said UNICEF data indicates that 12 percent of children aged between five and 19 are overweight or obese, with unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity among the contributing factors.

She said some children have limited opportunities to exercise because they are transported to and from school and spend much of their free time watching television or doing other activities that require little movement.

Kaamu also noted that some busy parents resort to junk food and sugary drinks because they have limited time to prepare meals. She said educating young people about healthy eating can also benefit future generations because children are likely to carry the habits they learn into adulthood and pass them on to their own children.

Bernard Sembatya, the Country Director of SUNFOYAC-CSN Uganda, said the programme was using sports to engage young people in discussions about nutrition, hygiene, sanitation and climate change.

He urged parents to reduce children’s consumption of foods such as chips, fried chicken and sugary drinks and instead provide healthier meals, including vegetables and other nutritious foods.

The programme brought together students from seven schools and was organised ahead of the National Youth Dialogue for Nutrition scheduled for October 15 and 16.

Sembatya said the initiative is also aimed at addressing gaps in nutrition information among adolescents and young people, noting that much attention has traditionally been placed on children below five years.

He said young people should be given an opportunity to participate in discussions about the food they eat and how they can maintain healthy lifestyles.

The organisers said the wider goal is to address malnutrition in all its forms and among people of all age groups.