Makerere University researcher Dr. Catherine L. Mwesigwa has issued a stark warning about the high levels of sugar in commercial baby foods in Uganda, highlighting urgent gaps in labelling, regulation, and public awareness.
Speaking at the PhD Completion Grant Research Dissemination Workshop, Dr. Mwesigwa shared findings from her recent study which revealed that most baby food products on the market contain dangerously high amounts of added sugars, often hidden under different names, and are misleadingly marketed to unsuspecting parents.
“As a mother and a scientist, this topic is personal,” Dr. Mwesigwa told participants gathered at Makerere’s School of Food Science Conference Hall. “When I had my first child, I realised how easy it is to pick up a colourful package with comforting claims—only to find it’s packed with sugar and additives.”
Her study, conducted under the Department of Paediatric Dentistry in the School of Health Sciences, examined both the sugar content and labelling practices of popular baby foods in Uganda’s urban markets.
The results are troubling: three in five children had consumed ultra-processed food the day before their interview, 90% had taken sugary drinks or sweetened porridge and some children were consuming more than 50 grams of sugar per day—just from baby foods.
“Some products, like porridge mixes, contained up to 14 grams of sugar per serving. With multiple feedings a day, the cumulative sugar intake is far beyond what is safe for a young child,” she explained.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, free sugars should account for less than 10% of daily energy intake—and ideally, less than 5% to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases. Yet, most baby food products surveyed exceeded these limits.
Dr. Mwesigwa also flagged serious concerns around marketing and labelling: use of unverified health claims like “Boosts brain power”, lack of clear ingredient breakdowns and age-appropriateness, attractive baby images used as marketing ploys—contrary to WHO recommendations and sugar listed under multiple names: glucose, fructose, sucrose, etc., which confuses consumers.
“Parents are being misled by marketing tactics that mask poor nutritional quality,” she said. “We need to start telling the truth on labels.”
The issue is part of a wider nutrition transition in Uganda, where families—especially in urban centres—are shifting away from traditional foods like millet and fresh fruit in favour of convenient, energy-dense, ultra-processed options. This shift, Dr. Mwesigwa warned, is happening without sufficient regulation or public health messaging.
Policy Gaps and Recommendations
Despite the existence of Ministry of Health guidelines on complementary feeding, enforcement remains weak. Uganda lacks strict limits on added sugar in baby foods and has no binding regulations on marketing or labelling.
Dr. Mwesigwa offered four key recommendations.
Policy Action: enforce sugar limits in baby foods, ban marketing of ultra-processed foods to young children and standardise and regulate food labelling.
Clear Public Messaging: develop simple, accessible nutrition guidance for mothers and caregivers.
School Curriculum: integrate nutrition education into early childhood and primary school programmes.
Community Awareness: promote dialogue on long-term effects of early sugar consumption.
Tech-Driven Solutions
Dr. Mwesigwa and her team have submitted a grant proposal under the NIH Fogarty programme to develop a mobile application tailored for Ugandan mothers. The app will provide evidence-based guidance on baby food choices, including local recipe suggestions and culturally appropriate feeding practices.
“This is about empowering parents with real information,” she said. “Technology can be part of the solution.”
Her research was presented as part of Makerere University’s PhD Completion Grant Initiative (2021–2025), led by the Directorate of Graduate Training. Now in its fourth year, the programme has supported 65 doctoral students to finalise and showcase their work, contributing to national development priorities through applied, locally relevant research.
“If we want a healthier future for our children, we must start by being honest about what we feed them,” Dr. Mwesigwa concluded. “The first step is better information—and the next is action.”
