As the world prepares to commemorate World Food Day 2026, Scaling Up Nutrition and Food Security (SUNFOYAC) has organized a sports gala bringing together young people and members of the community to spark an important conversation about nutrition, healthy eating and active lifestyles.
The Sports for Health event is a pre-event activity ahead of World Food Day, which will be observed under the global theme “Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together. Our Actions Are Our Future.”
The sports event is being held under the theme “Promoting Healthy Lifestyles, Better Nutrition and Climate-Resilient Communities Through Sports.”
The initiative is being implemented through the “Fix My Food” campaign, led by SUNFOYAC in partnership with the Ministry of Health Nutrition Division.
Addressing the press, SUNFOYAC Country Director Bernard Ssembatya said Uganda continues to face a complex nutrition situation, with about 26 percent of children under five years affected by stunting.
Ssembatya said this means that more than one in every four young children is affected by chronic undernutrition, which can have long-term effects on their growth and development.
He noted that anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies also remain major concerns, while overweight and obesity are increasingly emerging alongside undernutrition.
According to Ssembatya, Uganda’s nutrition challenge is not simply about whether food is available, but also about the type and quality of food people can access and afford.
“The challenge is not simply whether food is available, but also about what food families can afford, what children eat at home and at school, the quality and diversity of available foods, and how climate and economic pressures affect household food security,” he said.
Ssembatya said SUNFOYAC is moving the nutrition conversation beyond hospitals and health facilities to homes, schools, playgrounds and communities, where young people live, learn, play and make everyday choices.
He said this is why young people are at the centre of the Fix My Food campaign, describing them not only as beneficiaries of nutrition programmes, but also as students, athletes, farmers, innovators, community mobilizers and future leaders.
Meanwhile, the Chief Guest, James Kasumba, called on parents to be more mindful of the foods they give their children, warning against excessive consumption of junk and highly processed foods.
Kasumba encouraged parents to embrace traditional and locally available foods, which he said can provide important nutrients needed for children’s growth and development.
He urged parents to include more fruits, vegetables and naturally produced foods in their children’s diets, while reducing reliance on junk food.
Kasumba further encouraged families to promote healthy eating habits from an early age as part of efforts to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes.
The sports gala therefore seeks to use sport as a platform to engage young people and communities on the importance of healthy eating, regular physical activity and improved nutrition.
The initiative also highlights the link between nutrition, food security and climate resilience, particularly as households continue to face economic and environmental pressures that can affect access to diverse and nutritious foods.
SUNFOYAC says the campaign will continue taking nutrition messages into communities and encouraging young people to play an active role in shaping healthier food choices and more resilient communities.
