Rising obesity, diabetes, hypertension among Nigerians worrisome — CAPPA

Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has expressed concern over the astronomical rise in obesity, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and heart diseases among Nigerians.

CAPPA’s Executive Director, Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi, who spoke during the national conference on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Tax and Health Financing in Nigeria, held on Tuesday in Abuja, said the development is responsible for the increasing incidents of people slumping and dying across the country.

Oluwafemi contended that the surge in cardiovascular diseases is directly tied to unhealthy lifestyles, including the overconsumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and ultra-processed foods.

He remarked that the consequences of the abnormality are not just countless Nigerians suffering under the weight of nutrition-related diseases; families have been burdened with soaring out-of-pocket health care expenses, especially in these hard economic times.

Underlying the challenges associated with the consumption of SSBs, he said: “Today, NCDs account for 29 per cent of all deaths in Nigeria, with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) alone responsible for 11 per cent of these fatalities. Health experts report that in the past 20 years, cases of cardiovascular disease have exploded by 150 per cent in Nigeria.

“Nigeria’s consumption of over 40 million litres of SSBs contributes to an estimated $2.37 billion USD annually in societal costs for managing obesity and overweight issues, with informal care costs exceeding N58 million.

“As a nation, we must find sustainable ways to control these avoidable diseases, alleviate the mounting expenses they impose, and bolster our healthcare infrastructure and social systems to withstand the burden of these diseases.”

He said at N10 per litre, Nigeria’s current tax on SSBs falls short of the World Health Organisation’s recommendation and global best practice of a minimum of 20 percent of total retail prices.

He maintained that an effective tax rate of N130 per litre remains the most sustainable peg for realising public health goals.

This adjustment, he said, will not only align with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendations but also with the 2024 Bloomberg report on effective health taxes.