CARDIOVASCULAR diseases remain the leading cause of death globally, driven largely by unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and harmful alcohol consumption.

Among dietary risks, high intake of trans-fat increases the risk of death from any cause by 34 percent, coronary heart disease deaths by 28 percent, and coronary heart disease itself by 21 percent. Critically, trans-fat offers no known health benefits.

Trans-fat is mainly produced industrially through the partial hydrogenation of liquid oils, most commonly vegetable oils, although it also occurs naturally in meat and dairy from ruminant animals. 

For a healthy diet, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting trans-fat intake to less than 1 percent of total energy consumption. Industrially produced trans-fats should be completely avoided.

Governments play a central role in fostering healthier food environments. WHO encourages the reformulation of food products to reduce trans-fat content, with the ultimate goal of eliminating industrially produced trans-fat from the global food supply.

To support this effort, WHO developed a "Replacement" action package to guide governments in designing and implementing policies to eliminate industrially produced trans-fats.

In addition, WHO advocates for front-of-pack labelling (FOPL) as a key strategy to promote healthier diets and reduce the burden of diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. 

In a 2022 policy brief, WHO called on governments to implement nutrition labelling policies, emphasizing FOPL’s critical role in helping consumers make informed food choices.

In 2023, WHO released draft guidelines recommending that packaged foods and beverages display clear, interpretive front-of-package nutritional information to assist consumers in selecting healthier options. This move responds to the global obesity crisis fuelled by high consumption of processed foods rich in salt, sugar, and fat.

As of October 2024, only 43 WHO member states had adopted either mandatory or voluntary FOPL schemes. WHO continues to support countries in analysing different FOPL models to better understand their effectiveness across contexts.

Challenges 

Hassan Rusobya, a nutritionist and researcher at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), noted that awareness about FOPL in Tanzania remains limited. Most locally produced foods lack front-of-pack labels, largely due to low awareness among food regulators and manufacturing companies.

Rusobya explained that the absence of regulations mandating FOPL contributes to this gap. "Manufacturers often don't understand what FOPL means. Their focus is simply on producing the product, with little concern for labelling the nutritional content," he said.

He stressed that mandatory FOPL regulations are essential to protect the public from trans-fats and other harmful ingredients in processed foods. "FOPL provides clear nutritional information, empowering consumers to make healthier food choices," he emphasized.

Rusobya added that the Tanzanian government, in collaboration with stakeholders such as MUHAS, is working to determine a FOPL model that would be simple and easy for consumers to understand, such as warning labels or a "traffic light" color-coding system. Parallel efforts are underway to develop a Nutrient Profile Model, which will help set thresholds for sugar, salt, and fat content across different food categories.

Existing labelling regulations

Currently, food labelling in Tanzania is governed by the Food (Control of Quality) (Food Labelling) Regulations, 1989, and the Tanzania Food, Drugs and Cosmetics (Food Labelling) Regulations, 2006. These regulations require that pre-packaged foods display information such as the product name, weight, ingredient list, manufacture and expiry dates, and manufacturer details in either English or Kiswahili.

However, these regulations do not require front-of-pack warning labels, such as symbols or colour codes to highlight high levels of sugar, salt, or saturated fats—practices already mandated in countries like Chile and Mexico.

A 2024 study assessing 180 pre-packaged snacks in Dar es Salaam found that only 41 percent displayed any form of front-of-pack nutrition labelling, predominantly on imported products. Local products frequently lacked such labelling, with most information presented in English only, limiting accessibility for Kiswahili-speaking consumers. S

trengthening labelling practices, including mandatory FOPL in Kiswahili, is seen as crucial to tackling diet-related NCDs in Tanzania.

The Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) is responsible for enforcing food labeling standards, such as TZS 538:2015, and conducts market surveillance to ensure compliance. Non-compliant products, especially those missing accessible labels, face legal consequences.

Advocacy efforts

The Tanzania Women Lawyers Association (TAWLA) is actively advocating for the establishment of a national mandatory standard to eliminate industrially produced trans-fatty acids (TFAs) and partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) from the Tanzanian food supply. 

TAWLA’s campaign aligns with its broader mission to promote gender equality and protect the rights of women and children through legal and policy reforms.

By addressing dietary risk factors, TAWLA contributes to creating a legal environment that safeguards public health, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Through these efforts, TAWLA aims to influence national policy changes that will create healthier food environments and improve public health outcomes.

Expert perspectives

Dr Augustus Fungo, a public health advocate from the Institute of Finance Management (IFM), emphasized that FOPL is primarily targeted at large-scale producers of industrially processed foods intended for direct consumer consumption.

“These foods are often highly processed, stripped of their natural form and nutrients, and enhanced with chemicals and artificial additives,” he said.

Dr Fungo noted that FOPL would bring transparency to the food system by revealing the nutritional content, allowing consumers to make informed choices. He added that, although discussions involving the government, Ministry of Health, NGOs, CSOs, and WHO are on-going, no final decision has been reached regarding which FOPL model Tanzania will adopt—whether a warning label system or a traffic light scheme.

He also urged the public to educate themselves on the dangers of excessive consumption of salt, sugar, and fats, and to prioritize balanced diets. Furthermore, he stressed the government's role in ensuring that healthy foods are accessible and affordable, reducing reliance on heavily processed products.

“Strong policies and regulations are key to creating an environment where consumers can access healthy foods and make informed choices,” Dr Fungo concluded.