A Call for Integrated Obesity Prevention in Nigeria
Health experts have emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to tackle the growing obesity crisis in Nigeria. As part of key strategies, they are urging the Federal Government to integrate obesity prevention services into Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) nationwide. These centres serve as the first point of contact for many Nigerians and offer a strategic platform for early screening, nutrition counselling, and lifestyle education.
Experts argue that focusing solely on treatment without preventive interventions at the grassroots level continues to exacerbate the rise in cases of hypertension, diabetes, and heart diseases linked to obesity. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that one in eight people globally is living with obesity, with about 2.5 billion adults being overweight. Of these, 890 million adults live with obesity, and 43% of adults aged 18 years and above are overweight, while 16% are living with obesity.
The WHO data also highlights that 37 million children under the age of 5 were overweight in 2022, with over 390 million children and adolescents aged 5–19 years being overweight, including 160 million who were living with obesity.
Speaking ahead of World Obesity Day 2026, Oluwayomi Ale, Deputy Director, Nursing Services, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, urged policymakers to incorporate routine weight monitoring, dietary guidance, and physical activity promotion into PHCs’ services. She emphasized the importance of early prevention through community-based care to reverse Nigeria’s obesity trend and improve long-term health outcomes.
Ale stated that integrating obesity prevention into primary healthcare services by training healthcare workers in PHCs on nutrition counseling and lifestyle management will help curb the menace. She stressed that tackling obesity requires coordinated action at individual, family, community, and government levels. According to her, addressing obesity early is critical to reducing the long-term healthcare and economic burden associated with non-communicable diseases.
She highlighted that unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and poor health awareness are driving an increase in weight-related illnesses across Nigeria. With sustained awareness and coordinated action, she believes Nigeria can curb the rising trend of obesity and reduce its burden on public health and national productivity.
Obesity, she noted, is a silent but deadly menace that threatens public health, economic stability, and overall well-being. It is preventable, but only through sustained awareness, behavioral change, and strong policy interventions. Addressing obesity requires collective responsibility, individual discipline, family support, community awareness, and government action.
By prioritising healthy living and preventive healthcare, societies can curb the rising tide of obesity and secure a healthier future for generations to come. Ale lamented that obesity, once considered a problem of rich countries, is now a burden in several low-income countries, including Nigeria. She pointed out that obesity has become one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century, affecting both developed and developing nations.
In Nigeria and many other African countries, the rise in obesity is occurring alongside persistent undernutrition, creating a double burden of malnutrition. The deputy director of nursing warned that the impact of obesity goes beyond physical appearance. Obesity is not merely about physical appearance; it is a complex medical condition that significantly increases the risk of numerous non-communicable diseases and reduces quality of life.
She added that obesity places heavy burdens on healthcare systems due to increased treatment costs for chronic diseases. It also reduces productivity through absenteeism, disability, and premature death. At the national level, this affects economic development and workforce efficiency.
On steps to take, Ale urged individuals to adopt healthy living, regular exercise, routine health checks, and the introduction of public health policies that directly tackle the menace. Others include making physical education compulsory in primary and secondary schools, regulating the sale of sugary drinks and unhealthy snacks in school premises, incorporating nutrition and lifestyle education into the curriculum, and introducing workplace wellness programs.
Also, Ale advocated for nationwide campaigns on the risks of obesity and the benefits of healthy living, implementation of taxation on sugar-sweetened beverages, and correcting misconceptions linking obesity with wealth or well-being.
Expert Perspectives on Combating Obesity
Dr. Oluseyi Aderinwale, a public health researcher and medical expert, expressed concerns about the growing threat of obesity in Nigeria. He called for increased investment in training for healthcare workers. Medical personnel, he noted, need enhanced skills in nutritional counselling and using data to track patient outcomes. Bridging this knowledge gap is essential for turning the tide around.
Aderinwale urged African health ministries and providers to adopt a multi-sectoral approach to combat the issue. He suggested policies that promote physical activity, regulate the marketing of unhealthy foods, ensure exercise facilities across urban and rural areas, and support access to nutritious diets for low- and medium-income earners.
