Modern globalization has profoundly affected public health in Africa, promoting the widespread consumption of unhealthy products through aggressive marketing and mass media. In Luanda, Angola, traditional diets are increasingly replaced by sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods, illustrating the influence of commercial determinants of health (CDoH). Multinational corporations exploit weak regulatory frameworks, low health literacy, and social vulnerabilities, contributing to a rapid nutritional transition and the emergence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. This article highlights how structural economic and commercial forces, rather than individual lifestyle choices alone, drive these “industrial epidemics” and exacerbate health disparities. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated political action, regulation of the food and beverage industry, promotion of health literacy, and accountability mechanisms to hold corporations responsible for their impact. By empowering communities and fostering systemic change, African nations can mitigate the health consequences of commercial pressures and support sustainable public health development.
The globalisation of unhealthy foods has not happened accidentally but has been mediated by international commercial groups that have been expanding their brands for decades and have influenced the global market toward a permanent consumption of these harmful products. This expansion has also taken place in developing countries.
In this paper, we focus on Africa, where political and health systems are already struggling with a high burden of infectious diseases and lack the capacity for rapid intervention to control the consequences of adopting these trends.
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