Health Risks Hidden in Uganda’s Popular Snacks

By Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1322 EAT on Wednesday 27 August 2025

On the bustling streets of Kampala, fried snacks are ubiquitous—cheap, quick, and irresistibly convenient. From golden chapatis and crispy deep-fried cassava to stacks of packaged biscuits in corner shops, they’re a daily staple for millions.

Behind the irresistible appeal of Uganda’s most popular street snacks lies a quiet but deadly threat: industrial trans fats. Health experts warn that these artificial fats—used to extend shelf life and enhance flavor—are silently fueling a growing health crisis in the country.

Trans fats raise levels of harmful cholesterol, clog arteries, and significantly increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Now, both the Ministry of Health and the Uganda National Health Consumers’ Organization (UNHCO) are calling for a nationwide ban on their use.

“We are campaigning against industrially produced trans-fatty acids in line with World Health Organization guidance,” said Dr. Robinah Kaitiritimba, Executive Director of UNHCO.

“Globally, about 278,000 deaths each year are linked to trans fat consumption. High intake raises the risk of death by 34%, and 28% of those deaths are due to cardiovascular disease,” she added.

Uganda is no stranger to the growing health threat posed by industrial trans fats. Cardiovascular disease already accounts for 10% of all deaths in the country, making it the leading non-communicable cause of death, according to health authorities.

And the problem is getting worse. Between 2007 and 2017, deaths from ischemic heart disease rose by more than 13%, according to data from the Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network. The evidence is hard to ignore, says Dr. Robinah Kaitiritimba, Executive Director of the Uganda National Health Consumers’ Organization (UNHCO).

“We cannot ignore the trends,” she said. “Our people are dying younger, and poor diets are part of the problem.”

Trans fats—technically known as industrially produced trans-fatty acids (iTFAs)—are distinct from natural trans fats found in meat or dairy. These artificial fats are created through a process called hydrogenation, which adds hydrogen to vegetable oils to make them solid. The result: cheap oils transformed into margarine, shortening, and frying fats that give products like French fries, doughnuts, and other fried foods their crispy texture and long shelf life.

For many Ugandans, the danger is hidden in plain sight. Trans fats are commonly found in baked goods, packaged biscuits, margarines, fried street snacks, microwave popcorn, and even frozen pizzas—all of which may contain partially hydrogenated oils, the primary source of trans fats.

“These artificial trans fats have no known health benefits and can be replaced in foods without compromising taste or texture,” said Dr. Dennis Male, a nutritionist at Makerere University.

“Yet they remain prevalent in our markets because they are cheap and help extend product shelf life.”

Dr. Male adds that while consumers can try to protect themselves by checking labels and avoiding products that list “partially hydrogenated oil” as an ingredient, such precautions are often impractical—especially in Uganda’s vast informal food sector, where most street foods come without any labeling at all.

In 2018, the World Health Organization launched its global REPLACE initiative, calling on all countries to eliminate industrially produced trans fats from their food supply within five years. The deadline was 2023. Uganda missed it.

The REPLACE plan outlines six key actions: promoting healthier oils, assessing and monitoring food content, raising public awareness, introducing legislation, and enforcing compliance. More than 20 countries—including Denmark, Canada, South Africa, and Argentina—have successfully implemented bans or strict limits on trans fats.

Uganda, like many low- and middle-income countries, has yet to act. Officials cite limited resources and competing health priorities as key reasons for the delay.

“Most countries without these regulations are low- and middle-income, like Uganda,” said Sarah Nggalambe, a senior nutritionist at the Ministry of Health. “This raises serious equity concerns. Why should our citizens be left exposed to harmful foods that have been banned elsewhere?”

For families who have lost loved ones to sudden heart attacks or strokes, the statistics are more than numbers—they are lived realities. The growing burden of non-communicable diseases is stretching Uganda’s already under-resourced health system, where specialized treatments like cardiac surgery or dialysis remain out of reach for many. Advocates argue that prevention is not just preferable—it’s essential.

The Uganda National Health Consumers’ Organization (UNHCO) and its allies are now urging the government to enact a nationwide ban on industrial trans fats. Their proposal would compel food producers to switch to safer oils—removing the burden from consumers, who often lack the information or options needed to make healthy choices.

The Road Ahead

Whether Uganda’s policymakers will move swiftly remains to be seen. The country has previously taken bold steps, including bans on public smoking and taxes on sugary drinks. But campaigners warn that industry lobbying and enforcement challenges could stall progress once again.

Still, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

“Trans fats are a silent killer,” said Dr. Dennis Male, a nutritionist at Makerere University. “You don’t feel them until it’s too late. Eliminating them is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to save lives.”

Until action is taken, every fried doughnut, flaky pastry, or cheap packet of biscuits poses an unspoken question: How long will Ugandans wait for protection from a danger the rest of the world is already abandoning?

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