Obesity Epidemiology in Nigeria: Overview

Obesity is a manageable and preventable problem, but it affects 39 percent of the global population. Obesity and overweight are associated with a higher death rate worldwide, according to research. Nigeria's fast rising healthcare expenses are attributed to high obesity rates. Despite the serious nature of obesity's contribution to Nigeria's poor health outcomes, it is surprising that little is being done at the national level to address the issue. As a result, the purpose of this study is to describe the epidemiology of obesity, investigate the causes of obesity in Nigeria, and provide a solution. Reports and research briefs from World Health Organization, Obesity Society, Population Bureau, World Obesity, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention was used for this review. In addition literature searches from peer-reviewed articles available in databases such as Google Scholar were also employed for this work. In order to provide Nigerians with a holistic approach to combating food and nutrition insecurity, the Nigerian government revised its National Food and Nutrition Policy in 2016. The Finance Act of 2021 includes an excise levy of N10 per liter imposed by the Federal Government on non-alcoholic, carbonated, and sugar-sweetened beverages. Although a sugar tax may not be the solution to a poor eating pattern, it is predicted to stimulate a reduction in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, hence addressing diet-related noncommunicable diseases.