Cameroon is stepping up nutrition education in secondary schools as part of a broader effort to improve adolescent health and prevent diseases linked to poor eating habits.
On May 28, 2026, education, health, and development stakeholders gathered in Yaoundé to review the first results of the Sun App project, an initiative designed to promote healthy nutrition and physical activity in schools.
The meeting, organized by the Ministry of Secondary Education in partnership with the Research and Sustainable Development Institute (RSD Institute), assessed the program's implementation, reviewed its early impact, and explored ways to support its gradual expansion nationwide.
During the event, Secondary Education Minister Nalova Lyonga called for concrete measures to improve students' food environment. According to state broadcaster CRTV, she recommended the creation of healthy school cafeterias, the introduction of electronic payment systems, or "cash wallets," to help students access balanced meals, and the development of school gardens on campus.
For education officials, these measures are intended to go beyond awareness campaigns. The goal is to create school environments that encourage healthier eating habits while engaging students in practical activities related to nutrition and well-being. Sun App, short for Scaling Up Healthy Nutrition to Adolescents and Pregnant Women, was officially launched on December 4, 2024, in Ntui, located in the Mbam-and-Kim division of Cameroon’s Center Region.
The program is gradually expanding to several municipalities, including Yaoundé IV. Its objective is to improve dietary habits among adolescents while encouraging physical activity throughout school communities.
The initiative is built around two main pillars: nutrition education and the prevention of noncommunicable diseases, including diabetes, obesity, and conditions linked to malnutrition. By targeting students at an early age, program organizers hope to address unhealthy behaviors before they become deeply rooted.
The approach reflects a widely shared view among public health experts that schools are one of the most effective places to influence youth behavior. Schools not only provide knowledge but also help establish daily routines around nutrition, exercise, and healthy living.
The current effort builds on a partnership between the Ministry of Secondary Education and the RSD Institute that began in 2018. The agreement was renewed on August 19, 2025, to strengthen primary prevention efforts within the education system, particularly in secondary schools. A few weeks later, on September 2, 2025, stakeholders in Yaoundé validated a National Strategy for Nutrition Education in Schools. The framework aims to harmonize interventions, strengthen awareness campaigns, and improve coordination among programs operating across the country.
For education and health authorities, the issue now extends far beyond school meals. The broader objective is to position schools as a frontline defense against the rise of noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular conditions. These illnesses were once associated primarily with adults, but they are increasingly affecting younger populations, especially in urban areas where eating habits are changing rapidly.
Through Sun App, Cameroon hopes to establish a culture of prevention from an early age. However, the program's success will depend on several factors, including sustainable financing for healthy school meal programs, support from local governments, family participation, teacher training, and the creation of monitoring systems capable of measuring real changes in student behavior.
Ultimately, the project's impact will depend less on workshops and policy recommendations than on its ability to change everyday practices within schools. In that sense, Sun App is both a public health initiative and a test of Cameroon’s ability to make nutrition education a lasting part of its education system.
P.N.N.