Dietary Transitions in African Cities (TACLED project)

Leveraging Evidence for interventions and policy to prevent Diet-related noncommunicable diseases

This project explored the factors that are associated with food consumption patterns (what people eat) and practices (how, where, when and with whom they eat) within two African cities (Nairobi and Accra). We used novel approaches for collecting data on food consumption and practices, and the factors associated with them. The different approaches used both existing scientific evidence as well as including the views of local people and stakeholders in identifying solutions to the problem of eating poor quality high calorie diets. To do this, we:

• reviewed the state of knowledge throughout published research studies and existing data on dietary behaviours;
• interviewed people about what kinds of food they eat and how they eat it (e.g. in a hurry, alone or with others) and
• used photography with local people to explore the factors that influence these decisions.
• mapped the food environment in people’s neighbourhoods (e.g. location and type of food outlets available) to explore how characteristics/features in the environment might influence people’s food consumption and practices.