About 30 percent of Tanzanians are overweight, while 10 per cent are obese, signalling the need for continued efforts to address nutritional problems.
Dodoma. Tanzania has made remarkable progress in addressing nutrition issues, achieving 99.9 per cent success in the 2024/25 fiscal year, according to a recent assessment of the national nutrition agreement.
The review, however, highlighted ongoing challenges, including overweight and obesity among certain segments of the population.
About 30 percent of Tanzanians are overweight, while 10 per cent are obese, signalling the need for continued efforts to address nutritional problems.
Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government - PMO– RALG) Prof Riziki Shemdoe, made the remarks yesterday during a meeting with regional and district leaders to evaluate the implementation of the nutrition agreement.
Prof Shemdoe said Tanzania has made strides in reducing malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Yet anaemia remains a major concern, affecting 42 percent of women of reproductive age. He added that anaemia also affects 56 percent of pregnant women and 58 percent of children under five, contributing significantly to maternal and child deaths.
Other nutritional issues include stunting, which affects 30 percent of children under five, while three per cent suffer from wasting.
“On the other hand, we are seeing nutritional challenges arising from unhealthy diets, including excessive weight, which is linked to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease,” Prof Shemdoe said.
He stressed that the country is actively addressing these challenges through current interventions and planning for future needs.
“This ninth review meeting of the nutrition agreement for 2024/25 is important as it allows us to evaluate implementation, identify successes and challenges, and take the necessary steps to improve nutrition across the country,” he said.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Seif Shekalaghe, emphasised that tackling malnutrition is critical for economic development. He noted that nutritional problems often stem not from a lack of food, but from limited knowledge about healthy diets.
Prof Shemdoe said the Ministry has deployed community-level nutrition officers to educate the public on balanced diets, including leafy vegetables, fruits and animal-source foods, rather than relying solely on staple cereals.
Deputy Permanent Secretary at the PMO- RALG, responsible for health, Prof Tumaini Nagu, said the government is prioritising nutrition to achieve positive results for communities. Pregnant women, for example, are provided with iron supplements to support healthy pregnancies and reduce the risk of birth complications.
Prof Nagu added that the government ensures vitamin A supplementation for children under five to prevent malnutrition and stunting, which can lead to impaired growth and vision problems, and increase the risk of early childhood mortality.
