Food-based dietary guidelines

Food-based dietary guidelines - Ghana

Official name

Ghana Food-Based Dietary Guidelines

Publication year

The first dietary guidelines for Ghana known as “Food-Based Dietary Guidelines for Ghana” were published in 2022. The Multi-sectoral Technical Task Team (MTTT) MTTT plans to revise the Ghana FBDG in a cycle of every five years. In the last quarter of 2026, the MTTT will commence the process for revising the Ghana FBDGs.

Similar versions such as the “Nutrition Facts for Ghanaian families” were published in 2009, followed by the “Dietary and Physical Activity Guidelines for Ghana’’ in 2010. 

Stakeholder involvement

The development of Ghana's Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs) was a collaborative effort led by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the University of Ghana, who served as co-chairs of the multi-stakeholder Technical Task Team (MTTT). The MTTT comprised representatives from various sectors and organizations, working together to provide expertise and guidance in the formulation of the dietary guidelines.

The MTTT included:

  • Ministry of Food and Agriculture, represented by the Directorate of Women in Agriculture and Development.
  • University of Ghana, represented by the School of Public Health, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, and Department of Dietetics.
  • Ghana Health Service, represented by the Department of Nutrition, Directorate of Health promotion, and the Non-Communicable Diseases Unit.
  • Ghana Education Service, represented by the School Health Education Programme.
  • Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
  • University of Health and Allied Sciences.
  • National Development Planning Commission.
  • Food and Drugs Authority.
  • Ghana School Feeding Programme.
  • Ghana Statistical Service.
  • Ministry of Finance.
  • International Food Policy Research Institute.
  • Food and Agriculture Organization (both Country Office and RAF).
  • United Nations Children's Fund.
  • World Health Organization.
  • World Food Programme.
  • Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, represented by Food Research Institute and Science and Technology Policy Research Institute.

Their collective efforts helped shape the guidelines to address the specific needs and challenges of Ghana's population.

The Ghana FBDGs have been officially endorsed by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Products, Resources and Target audiences

Products

Target audience

Ghana Food Based Dietary Guidelines

General Public, practitioners, decision/policy makers, media

Food system Guidelines

Central government (decision makers), development partners, donors, Civil Society, local government (decision makers)

Evidence from analysis and evidence review (A series of published papers)

Researchers, students, advocacy specialists, decision makers

Slide deck of process and summary of FBDG

Researchers, practitioners, decision makers, media, students

Development process

The overall aim of the Ghana FBDGs is to promote optimal diets and address malnutrition and diet-related diseases in Ghana, which can contribute to controlling rapidly rising rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country. Specific objectives of the guidelines include creating a food system that enables affordable access to optimal diets, enabling individuals to make informed decisions about healthy and sustainable diets, and strengthening the capacity of communities and agencies to promote optimal diets.

The process for developing Ghana’s first FBDGs commenced in 2016. However, it was stalled by inadequate resources. The process was re-ignited in 2020 until completion in January 2023 and subsequently launched on 22nd February.

The process followed the FAO/WHO process as outlined in FAO/WHO 1998.

  • A Multi-sectoral Technical Task team was established and tasked to carry out a Situational Analysis and Evidence Review (SEAR).
  • This process was coordinated by frequent and routine meetings of the MTTT.
  • The findings of the SAER were then utilized to construct technical recommendations. The evidence also informed diet modelling and Food guide image.
  • The technical recommendations and Food guide were pre-tested across the three ecological zones of Ghana across 18 communities.
  • Multiple validation workshops were used to revise the recommendations.
  • The recommendations were then approved by the MTTT and by the relevant Government Ministry for release.

The Situation Analysis and Evidence Review (SAER) was commissioned with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In collaboration with the MTTT and with the assistance of FAO, key questions were identified and prioritized for review. The SAER consisted of eight scoping, rapid, or systematic reviews, along with three primary research studies relevant to the questions addressed in the SAER. The findings from the SAER were used to determine the priority issues to focus on in the FBDG.

Implementation

The implementation of Ghana's Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs) is the responsibility of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, with support and coordination from the Multisectoral Technical Task Team (MTTT). The same MTTT that coordinated the development of the FBDGs will also oversee their implementation.

An official implementation plan for the FBDGs has been developed with support from FAO. The plan was created through a coordinated process led by the MTTT between 2021 and 2022.

The main objectives of the implementation plan are to strategically and coherently implement Ghana's first Food-Based Dietary Guidelines, aiming to improve the health of the Ghanaian population.

Various sectors are engaged in the implementation of the FBDGs, such as Government Ministries, Government agencies, UN agencies, Professional associations, regulatory agencies, Academia, Media, and Civil society organizations.

The engagement of these sectors aims to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated approach to the implementation of the FBDGs, with active involvement from various stakeholders to promote their effective adoption and impact on the population.

Evaluation

The implementation plan is yet to be finalized. 

Food guide

The Food guide for Ghana is a mashing bowl depicting proportions of the food groups; similar concept as ‘the plate’. The food guide has 6 food groups represented in it:

  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Legumes, pulses and nuts
  • Animal source foods
  • Healthy oils and fats
  • Cereals, roots and tubers

The recommended proportions by weight of food that should be eaten from each food group:

  • Fruits- 15.3%
  • Vegetables -15.4%
  • Legumes, pulses and nuts-13.4
  • Animal source foods- 9.8%
  • Healthy oils and fats- 0.4%
  • Cereals, roots and tubers- 45.6%

Messages

The core messages are:

  1. Eat a diverse and varied diet from the six food groups everyday.
  2. Eat a variety of whole/unpolished grains, cereals, and tubers everyday.
  3. Eat a variety of fruits everyday.
  4. Eat a variety of vegetables everyday.
  5. Eat a variety of legumes, pulses, and nuts everyday.
  6. Eat a variety of animal-source foods everyday.
  7. Use healthy fats, oils and oily seeds in moderation.

 Complementary messages are:

  1. Eat less frequently, foods and ingredients that are high in sugar, fat, and salt.
  2. Be physically active.
  3. Read food Labels and Nutrition Information.
  4. Keep food safely and eat safe food.
  5. Drink water regularly.
  6. Limit alcohol intake.

Sustainability

The recommendations recognize the importance of environmental sustainability. Thus, the recommendations are designed so that consumption of healthy diets ensure planetary sustainability while limiting adverse impacts that affect future generations and focusing on reducing food waste. The recommendations focus on promoting diets that are produced, distributed, marketed, retailed, and consumed in a way that exert minimum impact on the environment.