Doing things their way? Food, farming and health in two Ugandan cities
Mackay, H. LU
; Mugagga, F.
LU
; Kakooza, L.
and Chiwona Karltun, Linley
(2017)
In Cities and Health
1(2).
p.147-170
- Abstract
This paper presents new data on urban households’ agriculture, food environments and non-communicable disease (obesity, diabetes, hypertension) in two intermediate-sized Ugandan cities (Mbale and Mbarara). Nutrition transition theory suggests that fast-foods, eating out and supermarket shopping, together with sedentary urban lifestyles and less agricultural activity, are drivers of growing non-communicable disease burden. We explore these claims using statistics from a 2015 socio-economic and anthropometric survey of 1995 households. Results indicate that these cities are already experiencing non-communicable diseases, despite a lack of advanced food system and nutritional transitions. Surveyed households generally had low or medium... (More)
This paper presents new data on urban households’ agriculture, food environments and non-communicable disease (obesity, diabetes, hypertension) in two intermediate-sized Ugandan cities (Mbale and Mbarara). Nutrition transition theory suggests that fast-foods, eating out and supermarket shopping, together with sedentary urban lifestyles and less agricultural activity, are drivers of growing non-communicable disease burden. We explore these claims using statistics from a 2015 socio-economic and anthropometric survey of 1995 households. Results indicate that these cities are already experiencing non-communicable diseases, despite a lack of advanced food system and nutritional transitions. Surveyed households generally had low or medium dietary diversity, and a diet pattern and an agricultural practice primarily geared towards staple foods. Food transfers (mainly staples) from rural relatives were common, particularly for agricultural households. These farming households also had better income status than non-farming households. Experience of food insecurity was relatively common. Nevertheless, high prevalence and strongly gendered patterns of obesity were identified. In contrast to some theorising of the farming practice of urban-based households, there was little evidence that such agriculture was fuelled by poverty, vulnerability or migrant status. Findings also imply that there are other drivers of epidemiologic change in these cities than those suggested by nutrition transition theory.
(Less)
- author
- Mackay, H.
LU
; Mugagga, F.
LU
; Kakooza, L.
and Chiwona Karltun, Linley
- publishing date
- 2017
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- dietary diversity, epidemiological transition, nutrition transition, urban food systems, urban health, Urban Uganda
- in
- Cities and Health
- volume
- 1
- issue
- 2
- pages
- 24 pages
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85117453843
- ISSN
- 2374-8834
- DOI
- 10.1080/23748834.2017.1414425
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- additional info
- Funding Information: This work was supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) [grant number SWE-2011-028] and the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (Formas) [grant numbers 250-2014-1227 and 225-2012-609]. Funding Information: This work was supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) [grant number SWE-2011-028] and the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (Formas) [grant numbers 250-2014-1227 and 225-2012-609]. The authors would like to thank AFSUN for their permission to use the AFSUN Household Food Security Baseline Survey instrument as part of this research. We would especially extend our gratitude to Dr. Cameron McCordic, Balsillie School of International Affairs, Canada for his training, support and trouble-shooting throughout the data collection and management. Thank you also to the anonymous reviewers who gave generous and constructive feedback.
- id
- 3b8eece5-9c3e-411b-8a82-ab2d023a6708
- date added to LUP
- 2022-02-03 09:59:09
- date last changed
- 2022-04-21 02:14:49
@article{3b8eece5-9c3e-411b-8a82-ab2d023a6708,
abstract = {{<p>This paper presents new data on urban households’ agriculture, food environments and non-communicable disease (obesity, diabetes, hypertension) in two intermediate-sized Ugandan cities (Mbale and Mbarara). Nutrition transition theory suggests that fast-foods, eating out and supermarket shopping, together with sedentary urban lifestyles and less agricultural activity, are drivers of growing non-communicable disease burden. We explore these claims using statistics from a 2015 socio-economic and anthropometric survey of 1995 households. Results indicate that these cities are already experiencing non-communicable diseases, despite a lack of advanced food system and nutritional transitions. Surveyed households generally had low or medium dietary diversity, and a diet pattern and an agricultural practice primarily geared towards staple foods. Food transfers (mainly staples) from rural relatives were common, particularly for agricultural households. These farming households also had better income status than non-farming households. Experience of food insecurity was relatively common. Nevertheless, high prevalence and strongly gendered patterns of obesity were identified. In contrast to some theorising of the farming practice of urban-based households, there was little evidence that such agriculture was fuelled by poverty, vulnerability or migrant status. Findings also imply that there are other drivers of epidemiologic change in these cities than those suggested by nutrition transition theory.</p>}},
author = {{Mackay, H. and Mugagga, F. and Kakooza, L. and Chiwona Karltun, Linley}},
issn = {{2374-8834}},
keywords = {{dietary diversity; epidemiological transition; nutrition transition; urban food systems; urban health; Urban Uganda}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
pages = {{147--170}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
series = {{Cities and Health}},
title = {{Doing things their way? Food, farming and health in two Ugandan cities}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2017.1414425}},
doi = {{10.1080/23748834.2017.1414425}},
volume = {{1}},
year = {{2017}},
}