Evaluating Affordability of Healthier Diets in Four African Countries

A growing body of literature has emerged using mathematical models for diet optimization under multiple constraints nutrient needs, food preference, environmental impact, affordability. In the present study addressing malnutrition, we focus on modeling healthy, economically affordable, and culturally acceptable diets for vulnerable African people, specifically targeting women of reproductive age 17 45 years) and their young children (0.5- 2 years) in eight African cities. Our goal is to provide optimized diets for consideration in future national dietary guidelines across four African countries Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda. The present work is part of the European project InnoFoodAfrica "Locally driven co- development of plant based value chains towards more sustainable African food system with healthier diets and export potential » (www.innofoodafrica.eu).