A knowledge management portal to support the sharing of best practices in community-based obesity prevention and advocacy in Uganda

Abstract

Obesity has gradually become a silent epidemic in Uganda, contributing to rising rates of diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers leading to increased mortality. This alarming trend has placed considerable strain on Uganda’s health system and highlights critical gaps in community-level knowledge about effective practices for preventing and managing obesity. With limited focus by the government on actions that specifically target the prevention and management of obesity, there is a growing need for increased advocacy, particularly through knowledge sharing to engage communities in physical activity and promote diet modifications for healthier lifestyles. Knowledge Management (KM) has been proven to be a valuable approach to addressing health knowledge gaps by enabling access to, sharing of, and application of evidence-based practices within communities. However, the effective implementation of KM in the obesity care continuum remains largely untapped in Uganda. This study addresses that gap by developing a Knowledge management portal for Obesity Prevention and Advocacy (KOPA), a digital platform intended to serve as a single point of access to evidence-based best practices for obesity prevention and advocacy, targeting both healthcare professionals and community members. Using an Action Research approach, this study identified key challenges and user requirements that informed the portal’s design and implementation. KOPA combines a searchable library of best practices on healthy eating and physical activity, collaboration tools, content for different user groups, simple obesity-tracking, and clear Uganda-specific guidance on healthy lifestyle change. Evaluation with healthcare professionals and community members found it relevant, easy to use, and helpful for finding, organising, and sharing practical information that supports behaviour change. KOPA shows how a centralized, knowledge-driven platform can strengthen obesity prevention and advocacy in resource-constrained settings. Future work includes expanding multilingual content, introducing lightweight mobile access, connecting with Ministry of Health resources, and running a multi-site evaluation to confirm gains in knowledge, activity, and diet quality.