The silent killer in Uganda’s snacks
On the streets of Kampala, fried snacks are cheap, quick and everywhere—from golden chapatis and deep-fried cassava to packaged biscuits stacked high in small shops.
But behind these popular foods lies a quiet, deadly threat: industrial trans fats. Health experts say these artificial fats, used to make food last longer and taste better, are silently fueling a crisis in Uganda.
They increase harmful cholesterol, clog arteries, and drive up the risk of heart disease, stroke and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Now, the ministry of Health and the Uganda National Health Consumers’ Organization (UNHCO) are calling on government to ban them altogether.
“We are campaigning against industrially produced trans-fatty acids in line with World Health Organization guidance,” said Dr Robinah Kaitiritimba, UNHCO’s executive director.
“Globally, about 278,000 deaths each year are linked to their consumption. High intake raises the risk of death by 34 per cent — and 28 per cent of those deaths are from cardiovascular disease.”
A GROWING BURDEN IN UGANDA
Uganda is no stranger to this danger. Cardiovascular disease already accounts for 10 per cent of all deaths, making it the country’s leading non-communicable killer.
And the problem is growing: between 2007 and 2017, deaths from ischemic heart disease rose by more than 13 per cent, according to the Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network. Dr Kaitiritimba says the evidence is clear.
“We cannot ignore the trends. Our people are dying younger, and poor diets are part of the problem.” Trans fats, also called industrially produced trans-fatty acids (iTFAs), are not the same as the natural fats found in beef or dairy.
They are created when hydrogen is added to vegetable oils to make them solid—turning cheap oils into margarine, shortening, or the kind of frying fat that can give French fries or doughnuts their crispy texture and long shelf life.
For many Ugandans, the danger is hidden in plain sight. Baked goods, packaged biscuits, margarines, fried street foods, microwave popcorn, even frozen pizzas—all can contain partially hydrogenated oils, the main source of trans fats.
“These artificial trans fats have no known health benefits and can be replaced in foods without changing taste,” explained Dr Dennis Male, a nutritionist at Makerere University.
“Yet they remain common in our markets because they extend shelf life and are cheap for manufacturers.”
Dr Male says consumers can protect themselves by reading food labels and avoiding products with “partially hydrogenated oil” listed as an ingredient. But in a country where informal street vendors rarely label their foods, this advice only goes so far.
A MISSED GLOBAL DEADLINE
In 2018, the World Health Organization introduced its REPLACE initiative, urging every country to eliminate industrial trans fats within five years. The deadline was 2023. Uganda missed it.
The WHO plan lays out six steps: promoting healthier oils, assessing food content, creating public awareness, passing laws, and enforcing them. More than 20 countries—including Denmark, Canada, South Africa and Argentina— have successfully implemented bans or strict limits.
Uganda, like many low- and middle-income countries, has yet to act. Officials say limited resources and competing health priorities have slowed progress. Sarah Nggalambe, a senior nutritionist at the ministry of Health, said trans fat bans are not just a health issue but also one of fairness.
“Most countries without these regulations are low- and middle-income like Uganda,” she said.
“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 feel deeply personal. The rise in NCDs is stretching Uganda’s already thin health system, where access to specialized treatment like cardiac surgery or dialysis is limited and costly. Prevention, advocates argue, is the only realistic option.
UNHCO and its allies want the government to enact a clear ban on industrial trans fats—forcing food companies to switch to healthier oils and sparing consumers the impossible task of guessing what’s safe.
THE ROAD AHEAD
Whether policymakers move quickly remains uncertain. Uganda has taken bold steps before, such as banning smoking in public spaces and taxing sugary drinks, but industry lobbying and enforcement challenges loom. Still, campaigners say the stakes could not be higher.
“Trans fats are a silent killer,” Dr Male warned. “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.”
For now, every fried doughnut and cheap packet of biscuits carries 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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