High obesity rates were not always the case for people in Africa. Just three decades ago, obesity and being overweight were conditions more common in high-income or other, western countries. In 2021, a World Health Organization (WHO) report showed that between 1991 and 2016, the number of overweight children across Africa doubled, increasing from 5.4 million to 10.3 million.

Although Rwanda hasn’t been known for fast food or eating-out culture, these are growing trends. Fast food is often nutritionally poor and high in calories. Evidence demonstrates that overeating commercial fast food products can negatively impact health in both the short- and long-term. Fast food tends to be high in salt, sugar, saturated fats, trans fats, calories, and processed preservatives and ingredients.

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Over the past two decades, fast food brands have expanded to many developing countries. Across Africa, fast food restaurants have spread at a rapid rate, driven by rising income levels, rapid urbanisation, and changing eating habits and lifestyles. Over the past decades, the tourism and hospitality sector has emerged as an important driver of growth and employment for the Rwandan economy.

In 2019, the sector directly employed slightly over 164,000 people (4% of the labour force) across different education and skill levels. It has also been the biggest employer for women and the youth. The restaurant section in Rwanda continues to grow and expand to include many small informal fast food stores to larger established foreign brands.

We currently don’t have local Rwandan data on consumers of fast foods, but literature in and around the region shows that younger and older adults—15 to 45 years old—are the biggest consumers of fast foods. It also showed that men were bigger consumers of fast food than women because young men didn’t know how to cook or lacked basic cooking skills.

Although more men than women eat in fast food restaurants, women are increasingly patronising fast food restaurants as traditional gender perceptions are changing. Most literature also showed that it was mostly unmarried or single men and women who frequently visited fast-food restaurants.

In Rwanda according to the Second Rwanda Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factor study, the average quantity of salt consumed is 8.8 grams higher than the less than 5g per day recommended by the WHO. It also reports 4.3% obesity in adults in the country. This report also shows that 8.8% of Rwandans add salt to food while nearly 3% always eat processed food high in salt.

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Many national and international agencies have acknowledged the role of lifestyle and diet, in particular salt intake, on blood pressure levels. Unless something is done to curb the overconsumption of fast food and encourage regular exercise, the number of people who are overweight and obese from poor diets could continue to grow in coming years, wreaking havoc on the health of many people.

So, how can Rwandans address the health drawbacks of fast food? Public health leaders should take a proactive role in protecting their citizens by increasing health education in the community. While it may be difficult to turn down fast food businesses due to the economic advantages associated with their entry into local markets, governments should raise awareness of the risk factors associated with diets high in processed foods.

Diets high in salt are now recognised as one of the leading risks to cardiovascular health in the world as they increase blood pressure in both children and adults. In addition to this, recent studies have demonstrated that modest or even slight reductions in dietary sodium intake are associated with significant reductions in blood pressure.

While fast food may be convenient and affordable, there are plenty of alternatives that are healthier and more sustainable. For example, cooking meals at home using fresh, whole ingredients is a good way to ensure that you’re getting the nutrients you need while also reducing calories.

Additionally, supporting local farmers and food co-ops can help promote sustainable agriculture and reduce the environmental impact of food production. Some fast food restaurants may also have healthy options for people who are on healthy diets to take as options.

While fast food might not disappear completely, we have other choices that can be better for our health and the community. By putting our focus and money into these better options, we can move towards a world where people eat food that’s good for them and the environment.

Choosing things like more plant-based meals, supporting local and sustainable farming, and finding new ways to make food can help make the world healthier and fairer for everyone. It’s a simple way to change what we eat and make the community happier.

Dr Vincent Mutabazi is an applied epidemiologist.

X: @VkneeM