Effect of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Imports on the Prevalence of Overweight among Underfive Children in Nine Eastern Africa Countries

Background Overweighting among children under five years of age is increasingly becoming a global health concern. This has a connection with international trade and its influence on the increasing availability and consumption of sugar in different forms. This study seeks to identify the effects of the import of sugar-sweetened beverages on the prevalence of overweight among children under five years of age in nine Eastern Africa countries (EAC). Methods This study analyzed data from the UN Comtrade Database and World Development Indicators (WDI) of the World Bank (WB) spanning from 2000–2022. The East African countries selected are Burundi, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Madagascar and Zimbabwe. With these panel data, the fixed-effect estimation approach was employed as a technique to study the effect. Results The analysis revealed that the imports of sugar-sweetened beverages such as milk drinks, tea and coffee, and water, including mineral and aerated drinks, had a negative effect on the incidence of overweight among children under five years old in the EAC, but the difference was not statistically significant. However, GDP per capita was found to be positively related to the incidence of overweight. Conclusions This study did not find any evidence that SSB consumption in EACs contributes to the prevalence of overweight among children under five years old. Only GDP growth per capita was found to have a positive effect on the prevalence of child overweight. The findings suggest that international trade policies and agreements should consider the effect of economic growth on adverse health outcomes among children under five years of age in EACs and other similar developing countries.