Kenya’s nutrient model to curb sugar, salt, unhealthy fat consumption
The three nutrients are strongly associated with growing NCD burden, accounting for over 55% hospital deaths.
KENYA – Kenya’s Ministry of Health, through its State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards and Division of Nutrition and Dietetics, has launched the Kenya Nutrient Profile Model (KNPM) to curb consumption of foods and beverages high in sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats.
These three nutrients are strongly associated with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions.
The KNPM establishes clear nutrient thresholds and supports public health interventions amid Kenya’s growing NCD burden, which now accounts for over 55% of hospital deaths and 39% of all mortalities nationwide.
The model responds to alarming trends, including rising rates of overweight and obesity among both adults and children. At least one in four Kenyan adults (aged 18–69) is overweight or obese, with women disproportionately affected.
According to the 2022 Global Nutrition Report, 36.9% of women are overweight and 13.4% are obese, compared to 17.3% and 3.6% of men, respectively.
These figures are reinforced by the Kenya Demographic Health Survey 2022, which reports that 45% of women and 19% of men fall within these categories.
Among children and adolescents (5–19 years), overweight and obesity prevalence has surged from 9.8% in 2000 to 25.9% in 2019, with girls more affected.
To counter this, the Kenya Nutrition Action Plan (KNAP) 2023–2027 has prioritized the promotion of healthy diets as a core strategy under its second key result area, outlining both policy and community-based actions.
The KNPM will serve as a tool for multiple applications: front-of-pack nutrition labeling, restriction of marketing unhealthy food products to consumers, and the promotion of food literacy and consumer awareness.
The model targets a wide range of processed and packaged food categories, including confectioneries, bakery goods, cereals and grain products, ready-to-eat snacks, beverages, composite dishes, butter and fat spreads, and processed meats.
It further extends to fruit- and vegetable-based products, sauces, dips, soups, dressings, seasonings, dairy products, dairy analogues, and edible ices
The KNPM will also support policy alignment across ministries such as Health, Education, Agriculture, Trade and Industry, ICT, Labour and Social Protection, and Economic Planning.
During a consultative meeting chaired by Principal Secretary (PS) Mary Muthoni, potential partnerships for implementing the KNPM were discussed, with stakeholders including Bloomberg Philanthropies.
The PS emphasized that all interventions must align with Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage goals and be built on accountability, evidence-based approaches, and measurable impact.
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