Professor Rina Swart, an expert in nutrition at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), is set to deliver her inaugural lecture on 7 August. Known for her outspoken criticism of unhealthy food marketing and poor dietary diversity, she is also co-author of a recent study revealing the alarming levels of ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption in South Africa.

Her passion for nutrition was shaped by her upbringing in the Northern Cape, where healthy habits—like daily salads and fruit—were a norm in her household. Studying Home Economics at school and later Dietetics at Stellenbosch University laid the foundation for a career focused on advocating for accessible, nutritious food.

“There are those who are hungry, because they have nothing to eat and then there are those who have sufficient food, but follow popular trends influenced by aggressive marketing tactics of the food industry and choose food with low nutritional value; starving themselves of vital nutrients,” Prof Swart said. 

Prof Rina Swart. Image: Shelley Christians/UWC

She warned that the rising consumption of UPFs—foods high in additives, sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats—poses serious risks to public health, particularly among women.

“With obesity and diet-related diseases on the rise, especially among women, the time to act is now,” said the internationally respected programme leader for nutrition at the Centre of Excellence in Food Security. 

Together with Dr Tamryn Frank from UWC’s School of Public Health and the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Prof Swart co-authored the study titled, “Dietary Intake of Low-Income Adults in South Africa: Ultra-Processed Food (UPF) Consumption a Cause for Concern.”

The research, which analysed dietary data from more than 2,500 adults in Langa, Khayelitsha, and Mount Frere, found that nearly 40% of daily energy intake came from UPFs. Among younger adults, this figure rose to over 60%.

Only 7% of participants met the World Health Organisation’s guideline of 400 grams of fruit and vegetables daily, and fewer than one in five reached the recommended 25 grams of fibre. Foods like legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains were consumed by less than 16% of respondents.

Prof Swart also highlighted how rising food costs limit access to nutritious options. “As soon as food items are identified and recommended as nutritious and affordable, the prices of these items start to increase,” she noted, citing peanut butter, pilchards, lentils, and chicken livers as examples.

She criticised the extended food supply chain, where middlemen inflate prices without benefiting producers or consumers. “The more middlemen, the bigger the discrepancy in the cost of food,” she said.

Despite UPFs being relatively cheap—thanks to mass production and the use of chemical additives—Prof Swart warns they come with a hidden cost: nutrient deficiency. "Ultra-processed and fast foods often lack fibre, vitamins and minerals,” she explained, adding that taste and texture make UPFs highly appealing and addictive.

The study calls for urgent policy interventions, including warning labels on packaging, marketing restrictions—especially to children—and taxes on high-sugar and high-salt products. Revenues from these taxes could subsidise healthier food options for low-income communities.

This research exposes South Africa’s silent epidemic of “hidden hunger,” where poor diet quality persists despite adequate calorie intake. For Prof Swart, real change will require rethinking how food is produced, priced and promoted.