Senegal promotes healthy eating and food labeling to combat NCDs

Senegal's Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, Dr. Ibrahima Sy, participated in a workshop for the Dakar Municipal Council focused on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) linked to nutrition and food labeling.

Organized by the City of Dakar under the ‘Dakar PHC – Partnership for Healthy Cities’ project, the initiative aims to involve local elected officials in promoting healthy eating habits. A primary goal is to improve food labeling so consumers can better identify the levels of salt, sugar, and fats in products, enabling more informed dietary choices.

Dr. Sy emphasized the need for collective mobilization between the state, local authorities, and partners to combat the rise of NCDs, including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic kidney diseases. The strategy focuses on creating healthier food environments and protecting vulnerable populations, such as children, from the consequences of unbalanced diets.