Uganda Launches Landmark Nutrient Profile Model to Curb Processed and Ultra-Processed Foods

This blog was co-authored with the Center for Food and Adequate Living Rights

On August 12, 2026, Uganda made history when it formally launched one of the most comprehensive nutrient profile models (NPM) in the world. It will serve as the foundation for a new set of food policies intended to safeguard the public health of every Ugandan, as well as serve as an example to other countries in the East African Community and beyond. This progress was driven by the Global Health Advocacy Incubator’s (GHAI) partners in the Uganda National Food Policy Coalition; led by the Center for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT) whose sustained advocacy, as well as political commitment and leadership from Uganda’s Ministry of Health, secured adoption of this important policy tool.

A Turning Point in Uganda’s Fight Against Diet-Related Disease 

 In Uganda, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and heart disease are now responsible for two-thirds of all deaths in the country. What’s more, one in five Ugandans will likely die from an NCD. Behind that number, families, communities and the health system are bearing an increasing—yet avoidable—burden. 

One of the main risks is an unhealthy diet. Ultra-processed foods, which are frequently high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, have been appearing on shelves faster than laws than can regulate them. For years the question of what constitutes a healthy or unhealthy food or drink remained unanswered in Uganda. The new NPM provides a defined standard. This scientific tool used to classify foods and beverages based on their nutritional composition sets defined thresholds for sugar, salt, saturated fat and non-sugar sweeteners. In practice, it acts as the backbone of food policy and regulation. It can determine which items require warning labels, which foods may be sold in public institutions, and what food corporations may market to children.

Why Uganda’s NPM is Among the World’s Strongest

Although many countries use NPMs, their strength and specificities vary. Uganda’s model stands out for its clarity, scientific rigor and enforceability.

Clear, evidence-based thresholds

Uganda’s NPM sets precise cut-off points for nutrients of concern, including free sugars, saturated fats, sodium, trans fats and non-sugar sweeteners, with particularly stringent limits for free sugars in beverages and for trans fats.  These levels reflect the best available evidence on what causes diet-related NCDs. They are grounded in the World Health Organization's (WHO) Population Nutrient Intake Goals ensuring alignment with global public health standards. 

Solid and liquid categorization

The model distinguishes clearly between solid foods and liquids, applying tailored thresholds to each. This approach is rooted in national data from Uganda’s landscape survey on processed and ultra-processed foods. This ensures that the model reflects real consumption patterns and market conditions and is scientifically sound.

By establishing precise, binary definitions of solids versus beverages, the model eliminates ambiguity for regulators, enforcement bodies and industry manufacturers as they apply policies. Clearly classifying food as either a solid food or a beverage prevents misclassification, closes loopholes and strengthens compliance. This clarity makes the policy far more effective in practice.

The Food Policies Anchored by the Uganda NPM

Uganda’s NPM does more than define thresholds; it creates the legal and technical foundation for a new generation of food policies. By establishing a clear, evidence-based standard for what constitutes “unhealthy” food, it unlocks a suite of complementary, enforceable interventions that can now move forward with clarity and confidence.

• Front-of-Pack Warning Labeling: Provides the official criteria on what triggers warning labels, such as “high in sugar” or “high in sodium,” making these labels credible, consistent and legally defensible. These labels help consumers make informed decisions by identifying foods high in nutrients of concern at a glance.
• Restrictions on Marketing Unhealthy Foods: Establishes a clear, enforceable definition of “unhealthy,” allowing governments to regulate when, where and how these products are marketed, particularly to children and adolescents who are most vulnerable to targeted advertising. 
• Public Food Procurement Standards: The NPM allows governments to align public spending with public health goals, ensuring that foods purchased for public institutions support, rather than underminenutrition outcomes. 

Taken together, the NPM puts the policy into action, providing the framework needed to design, implement and enforce a comprehensive approach to healthier food environments. 

How We Got Here: Government Leadership and the Power of Coalition Building 

Uganda’s Ministry of Health provided political will and leadership while the civil society organization (CSO) coalition consisting of CEFROHT, The Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI), CONSENT Uganda and FIAN Uganda, played a complementary role in a sustained, strategic effort to build and translate a robust evidence base for policymakers. The coalition actively monitored and countered food industry influence, benchmarked Uganda’s approach against global NPM best practices, and maintained a coordinated civil society voice throughout the policymaking process. Together, these actions established the foundation to advance the policy.

The Uganda NPM demonstrates what is possible when CSOs engage policymakers as partners, pair community-driven advocacy with technical rigor and remain consistently engaged through long, complex and often opaque regulatory processes.

What Comes Next?

The launch of the NPM marks the beginning of a new chapter in Uganda's food policy landscape. In the months ahead, the coalition will be working to ensure the model is integrated into regulatory frameworks and that the promised downstream policies, particularly front-of-pack warning labels, are developed and implemented with urgency.

For the region, Uganda's bold step sets an important precedent. As East African governments face growing pressure from rising rates of diet-related NCDs and the rapid expansion of processed food markets, Uganda's NPM offers a tested, rigorous model from which to build.

For Ugandan consumers, it signals a shift toward a system where public health is prioritized and where evidence, not industry influence, defines what counts as healthy food.