The Burden of Obesity in Nigeria

Background and Aims: Over the years, obesity has become a global health concern. According to the World Health Organization, as at 2016, the world has experienced over four-fold increase in obesity within four decades. This public health crisis has taken its toll in Nigeria with a reported prevalence of 14% as at 2020. This review thus seeks to assess available evidence on the burden of obesity, associated co-morbidities, risk of non-communicable diseases, and available management strategies in Nigeria. Methods: This narrative review was conducted on research articles retrieved without date restriction. The databases assessed were PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases, as well as reference lists of relevant articles. The search terms used were “obesity in Nigeria”, “burden of obesity” “obesity co-morbidities”, and “obesity care.” Results: Studies have indicated that sedentary lifestyle, poor nutritional choices as well as genetic alterations are some of the causes of obesity in Nigeria. With the increasing prevalence of obesity, its associated co-morbidities, the current economic situation of the country and low accessibility to affordable healthcare services, it is currently a burden to healthcare professionals and the country at large. Conclusions: There is a need for the Nigerian government to focus more on healthcare development to cater for the increasing population and mitigate obesity occurrence. Moreover, there is a need for national orientation and sensitization on predisposing factors to obesity.