Twelve African nations now have official dietary guidelines, creating opportunities to strengthen public health, preserve traditional diets, and address climate challenges.
So say the authors of a recently published study, led by the Physicians Association for Nutrition (PAN) South Africa, in collaboration with North-West University and international researchers, as South Africa marks National Nutrition Week (9-15 October), World Food Day (16 October), and Africa Food and Nutrition Security Day (30 October).
Food-based dietary guidelines in Africa and their inclusivity of plant-based dietary patterns, published in the special issue of the South African Journal of Science (SAJS) on Sustainable Food Systems, examined the state of Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs) across Africa and identified opportunities to make them more inclusive, sustainable, and reflective of local food cultures.
The findings reveal that while traditional diets across much of the continent are predominantly plant-based, whether due to cultural, religious, ethical, or economic factors, national dietary policies often do not fully reflect this.
Plant-forward diets, rich in whole foods, vegetables and legumes, and low in ultra-processed foods and processed meats, can play a vital role in addressing food insecurity, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and climate change, and with the lowest carbon footprint, are increasingly featured in global dietary recommendations, including the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet.
The new study is the first comprehensive review of African FBDGs and their inclusivity of plant-based dietary patterns.
A previous study in 2022 found that only seven African countries had guidelines, none of which mentioned sustainability. This new research shows evident progress, with 12 countries now having guidelines and growing recognition of sustainability as a priority. This progress aligns with the World Food Day theme of building sustainable food systems that nourish both people and planet.
The countries with official FBDGs are Benin, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia and Tanzania.
Official reports suggest that more African countries are developing dietary guidelines, including Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Uganda. The study recognises these nations for taking concrete steps to provide citizens with official guidance on healthy eating.
The researchers assessed each country’s FBDGs using the Balanced Food Choice Index (BFCI), which measures the inclusion of healthy, sustainable and plant-based principles.
“These food-based dietary guidelines are powerful tools to shape healthier and more sustainable food systems,” said Dr Nanine Wyma, lead author and executive director of PAN South Africa.
“Across the continent, there is an urgent opportunity to expand dietary recommendations to highlight and champion the rich variety of locally available, nutrient-dense plant-based foods such as legumes, grains and indigenous fruits and vegetables that are part of Africa’s heritage and key to its future.”
Among the 12 countries, South Africa ranked highest with a score of 53, offering clear recommendations on vegetarian diets, guidance on nutrients such as vitamin B12, and plant-based sources of protein, iron and calcium, along with a mention of sustainability.
South Africa provides a comprehensive position on vegetarian diets, recommending a vegetarian meal at least once a week.
In Africa, hunger and under-nutrition persist, while rates of obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related non-communicable diseases are rising.
The study said: “The NCD-protective benefit of plant-based dietary patterns is explained only in the FBDGs from South Africa and Zambia. But rising burdens of NCDs across Africa require diverse solutions, and plant-based dietary shifts could alleviate burdens of disease and healthcare costs.”
While global consensus recommends reducing meat consumption to lower environmental impact, sustainability is mentioned in just three African FBDGs. Zambia stands out for its efforts to address greenhouse gas emissions, water and land use, and the benefits of legumes for improving soil health.
The study also reveals that many African FBDGs lack clear guidance on critical nutrients, particularly for those who limit their intake of animal products, like vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Some guidelines perpetuate misconceptions that plant-based diets are nutritionally inadequate.
The authors said Africa urgently needs more official guidance on what constitutes a healthy and sustainable diet. Twelve national guidelines are an improvement, but not enough to truly address the continent’s nutrition crises.
Africa has the fewest number of FBDGs of any continent, yet it has the highest rates of hunger and food insecurity. This was underscored in the 2025 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2025) report, launched at the UN Food Systems Summit +4 Stocktake, attended by PAN South Africa.
The researchers call on governments and regional bodies to continue expanding and updating their guidelines, ensuring they are inclusive, evidence-based and culturally relevant.
The research was presented at the Climate and Health Africa Conference (CHAC2024) in Harare, where PAN South Africa showcased a poster on the inclusion of plant-based diets in African FBDGs. PAN South Africa also presented on using these FBDGs as policy tools for healthier, culturally inclusive, and sustainable food systems.
Issued by PAN South Africa
https://www.pan-sa.org/