Consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods by the African poor: Evidence from Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda

Abstract We use national Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) datasets from Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda to examine consumption by the rural urban poor of “unhealthy foods” (including ultra‐processed foods such as sweets sugary beverages) versus “healthy beyond starchy staples (such vegetables, beans, animal products, fruits). Consumption processed nonstaples is often associated in policy discussion Africa with middle‐class consumers rather than poor. analyzed household food expenditure Locally Weighted Scatterplot Smoothing (LOWESS) curves augmented Engel regressions. found that substantial shares poor, both urban, are on healthy unhealthy foods. found, surprisingly, poor's patterns do not differ sharply middle classes’, areas, except for case which still consume much less class. dedicate 25% their category vegetables/beans, 22% 17% lower‐middle upper‐middle‐income strata. Fruits/animal products constitute compared 23% 27% lower‐ upper‐middle Ultra‐processed (e.g., sugar‐sweetened form 12% 20% 32% Shares increasing income starting at incomes well below poverty line. Nonincome factors play important roles: e.g., off‐farm employment more due opportunity cost time.