WEBINAR: Leveraging a Multi-Component Intervention to Transform Food and Physical Activity Environments for adolescents in Ghana and Kenya: The Generation-H Project
Overview
Improving food and physical activity environments in Africa is an urgent priority. The continent has experienced rapid urbanization and a corresponding nutrition transition, characterized by a shift toward high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt processed foods and for some, a more sedentary lifestyle with less opportunities for physical activity. This shift has significantly contributed to rising rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, which now coexist with persistent undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.
In response to this pressing challenge, the Generation-H Project: www.generationh.org, a collaborative initiative involving the Amsterdam University Medical Center-University of Amsterdam, University of Ghana, African Population and Health Research Center, Loughborough University, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and the Belgian Public Health Institute, Sciensano - has been developed. This project focuses on adolescents and youth in urban settings across Ghana and Kenya.
Generation-H leverages a multi-sector and multi-stakeholder approaches to design, deploy, and evaluate evidence-based and culturally contextualized interventions aligned with the WHO Best Buys for NCD prevention. Partnering with local governments, NGOs, and community-based organizations, the project aims to transform food and physical activity environments, empower youth, and mitigate the rising NCD burden in sub-Saharan Africa.
This interactive webinar, jointly organized by the Generation-H Project and the Africa Food Environment Research Network (FERN), will provide a platform to:
→ Introduce the Generation-H project and its goals for improving food and physical activity environments and promoting physical activity and healthy eating in Africa.
→ Discuss the project’s design, approach, and planned interventions, as well as anticipated challenges, opportunities, and strategies for successful scaling across Africa.
→ Highlight the importance of multi-sectoral partnerships, local engagement, and digital platforms in achieving sustainable change.
→ Engage policymakers, researchers, public health practitioners, and stakeholders to build capacity and foster ongoing partnerships for healthier food and physical activity environments in Africa.
Date, Time & Link
Panelists
Prof. Dr. Charles Agyemang – Panelist
Generation-H Lead, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
Professor Charles Agyemang is a Professor of Global Migration, Ethnicity, and Health at Amsterdam UMC and an Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins University. He is Vice President of the Migrant Health section of the European Public Health Association and a European Research Council fellow. His research addresses ethnic health inequalities and non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries. Prof. Agyemang has published over 400 articles and serves on multiple editorial boards. Committed to mentoring, he trains future scientists and health leaders in Europe and Africa.
Prof. Amos Laar – Panelist
Generation-H Ghana Lead, University of Ghana, and Convener, FERN
Professor Amos Laar is a tenure-track academic at the University of Ghana School of Public Health, focusing on bioethics, public health nutrition, and social public health. His research emphasizes food systems, environments, and nutrition-related non-communicable diseases. He leads the IDRC-funded ‘MEALS4NCDs project,’ supporting NCD prevention in Ghana, and the ‘Healthier Diets for Healthy Lives Project,’ funded by IDRC/Rockefeller Foundation, which aims to build evidence and drive actions for healthier, equitable consumer food environments to address Ghana's double burden of malnutrition.
Prof. Michelle Holdsworth – Panelist
Generation-H, France Lead, IRD France
Professor Michelle Holdsworth is Research Director at the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) and Deputy Director of the Montpellier Interdisciplinary Centre on Sustainable Agri-food Systems. A Registered Nutritionist and Dietitian, her research addresses dietary transitions, food environments, and policy development in low- and middle-income countries, focusing on malnutrition. She serves on several academic committees, including the UNESCO Chair in World Food Systems steering committee. Additionally, she is an Honorary Professor of Public Health at the University of Sheffield, UK, where she was a Public Health (Nutrition) Professor for eight years.
Prof. Lauren Sherar – Panelist
Physical Activity Expert, Loughborough University, UK Lead
Professor Lauren Sherar holds a combined honours degree in Sport Science and Biology from Nottingham Trent University (2001) and earned a master’s (2004) and doctoral (2008) degree from the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, focusing on physical activity and health in child and adolescent development. She has held positions as a Research Fellow at the University of Bath (2008-10) and Assistant Professor at the University of Saskatchewan (2010-12). Since 2012, Professor Sherar has been a Lecturer in Physical Activity and Public Health at Loughborough University, where she continues her research in physical activity's role in public health.
Dr. Gershim Asiki – Panelist
Generation-H Kenya Lead, African Population and Health Research Center
Dr. Gershim Asiki is a Research Scientist and Epidemiologist leading the Chronic Diseases Management Research Unit at the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC). With a PhD in Epidemiology from Karolinska Institute, Sweden, his research focuses on NCDs and the environmental, behavioral, genomic, and commercial determinants of health. He has led grants exceeding $10 million and contributed to over 150 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Asiki mentors junior researchers, supervises PhD and MSc students, and is a lead investigator designing food policies to prevent NCDs in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Prof. Kofi Mensah Nyarko – Panelist
NCDs Lead, World Health Organization African Region
Prof. Kofi Mensah Nyarko is the Team Lead for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) at the World Health Organization African Regional Office in Brazzaville, Congo. A medical doctor and epidemiologist, he holds an MPH and a PhD in Public Health (Epidemiology). He has held senior leadership roles in Ministries of Health and was the NCD Program Manager in Ghana. With extensive multi-country experience, Prof. Nyarko has led various health programs in sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on both communicable and non-communicable diseases. He was the former country lead for AFENET in Sierra Leone and Resident Advisor for Field Epidemiology Training in Sierra Leone and Namibia.
Dr. Kasim Abdulai – Moderator
Senior Lecturer, University of Cape Coast, Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics
Dr. Kasim Abdulai is a Public Health expert and Registered Dietitian with over six years of teaching experience at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He holds a PhD in Public Health, an MSc in Dietetics, and a Bachelor's in Community Nutrition. His research focuses on maternal nutrition, nutrition-related non-communicable diseases, and dietary behavior in vulnerable populations. Dr. Abdulai serves as Executive Director of Operations for the Coalition of Public Health Advocacy (CAPHA), contributing to health policy discussions and media platforms to improve nutrition and health outcomes in Ghana, including projects transforming food systems and promoting healthier diets.
Target Audience
→ Policymakers, researchers, and public health professionals
→ Stakeholders in nutrition, physical activity, and NCD prevention
→ Development partners, civil society organizations, and youth advocates
Register/Subscribe for Webinar
To register/subscribe to the webinar, visit the registration page at generationh.org/webinar-reg and complete the form by providing your name, email, and any required details. After registering, check your email for a confirmation message. You will receive anaccess link via email before the event. The webinar will be hosted on Microsoft Teams. Registration closes on 28th February, 2025, so subscribe early to secure your spot.
Contact Information
For inquiries and further details, please contact us at Generation-H via email at info@generationh.org and FERN secretariat via email at dialogues@meals4ncds.org.
About Generation-H
The Generation-H Project is an evidence-driven initiative funded by the European Union Horizon Europe and UKRI. It seeks to improve the health and well-being of Africa’s youth by addressing modifiable risk factors for NCDs through collaborative, context-specific, and scalable strategies.
→ Generation-H: info@generationh.org | Website: www.generationh.org
About FERN
The Africa Food Environment Research Network (FERN) fosters research, capacity-building, and knowledge-sharing to advance healthier food environments across Africa.
→ FERN Secretariat: dialogues@meals4ncds.org | Website: www.afern.org
Together, it is possible to transform food and physical activity environments to combat NCDs in Africa!