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Nigeria is experiencing a rising obesity epidemic, prompting healthcare experts to urge immediate action to prevent, manage, and mitigate the health, social, and economic consequences of this complex, chronic disease.
The experts spoke in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday marking World Obesity Day on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, emphasising awareness, early intervention, and coordinated strategies across individual, community, and national levels.
Dr Victor Alebiosu, Endocrinology Resident at University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, described obesity as a multifactorial disease influenced by genetics, calorie intake, sedentary lifestyle, hormonal imbalance, metabolic conditions, chronic stress, and poor sleep patterns.
He explained socioeconomic and environmental factors, including urbanisation and limited access to healthy foods, exacerbated obesity risk, stressing that the condition was medical, chronic, and not a personal failure or moral weakness.
“Genetics account for 40 to 70 per cent of susceptibility, but lifestyle factors like diet and exercise determine whether these genetic risks manifest into obesity and related health complications.
“Obesity also contributes to mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and body image dissatisfaction, worsened by social stigma, discrimination, and societal pressure, which complicate treatment and prevention efforts,” Alebiosu said.
For effective management, Alebiosu recommended structured dietary changes, consistent physical activity, and behavioural therapy, emphasising that sustainable results required long-term lifestyle adjustment, rather than short-term crash diets or fad interventions.
He urged government intervention through policies regulating unhealthy food marketing, sugar-sweetened beverage taxes, clear food labeling, and promotion of physical education programmes in schools to support population-wide obesity prevention.
“The fight against obesity must be holistic, combining individual choices, community education, improved food systems, access to healthcare, and supportive policies promoting active lifestyles and preventive health practices,” he said.
Alebiosu added early intervention in children and adolescents was vital, advocating for respect for all body sizes, removing stigma, and prioritising preventive healthcare measures to reduce future obesity-related complications.
“This year’s theme, ‘8 Billion Reasons to Act on Obesity,’ reminds us the condition affects everyone globally, directly or indirectly, threatening public health and healthcare systems if urgent action is delayed.
“Obesity significantly increases the risk of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, infertility, and certain cancers, while childhood obesity rates rise rapidly, overloading healthcare services with preventable complications and societal costs,” he explained.
He attributed Nigeria’s growing obesity prevalence to fast-food consumption, sedentary lifestyles, urbanisation, and reduced adherence to traditional diets, calling for national programmes promoting healthier eating and physical activity in schools and workplaces.
“Obesity is preventable and treatable, but early intervention is critical.
“Treat it as a medical condition requiring coordinated action at personal, community, and national levels to protect future generations,” Alebiosu emphasised.
Clinical Dietitian, Mr. Tunde Ajobo, cited excessive consumption of high-calorie foods, heavy meals at night, alcohol, and carbonated drinks as major contributors, with genetics, birth weight, and childhood steroid exposure compounding risks.
He explained obesity could impair heart function, elevate blood pressure, weaken bones, and affect motor, sensory, and nervous systems, while also negatively impacting mental health, self-worth, and daily activities.
Ajobo emphasised prevention through energy balance, physical activity, natural foods, adequate hydration, and consulting a clinical dietitian for personalised guidance, warning against temporary weight-loss methods that encouraged rebound weight gain.
“Health literacy must improve. Hospitals are not just for the sick, healthy individuals must learn to prevent disease, prioritise mental health, and adopt sustainable nutrition and lifestyle practices,” he said.
He also urged stress management, consistent sleep schedules, avoidance of alcohol, carbonated drinks, and cigarettes, while encouraging daily exercise, preferably walking, according to individual capacity, as essential preventive measures.
Registered Dietitian, Iyanuoluwa Akinyemi, explained that obesity developed when calorie intake exceeded energy expenditure, often caused by environments promoting unhealthy food and reduced physical activity, creating a chronic energy imbalance.
Akinyemi advised people to choose healthier options, reduce salt, sugar, and fried foods, and maintained at least 30 minutes of daily exercise to prevent obesity and related health complications effectively.
She stressed that obesity increased risk of depression, social stigma, discrimination, and body image dissatisfaction, which might trigger emotional eating, weight gain, and further complications if left unaddressed.
Experts agreed addressing obesity required multi-level interventions combining individual behaviour change, community awareness, supportive policies, improved food systems, and healthcare access to reduce prevalence and enhance population well-being.
Nigeria’s rising obesity epidemic threatens public health, mental well-being, and healthcare resources, but experts emphasised that with early intervention, lifestyle modification, policy support, and community engagement, the trend could be reversed sustainably.
By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko
