The Society of Lifestyle Medicine of Nigeria (SOLONg) has raised the alarm over the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country, warning that physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, chronic stress and harmful habits are fuelling a silent epidemic.
The society urged Nigerians to embrace lifestyle medicine practices, including stress management, healthy nutrition and regular physical activity, as a preventive and cost-effective response to the rising tide of chronic diseases.
Speaking at SOLONg’s conference in Abuja, the Founding President and Chairman of the society, Dr Ifeoma Monye, said lifestyle medicine offers a scientifically proven approach to preventing and reversing many chronic illnesses.
She explained that lifestyle medicine is built around six core pillars, summarised by the acronym DREAMS: Diet, Relationships, Exercise, Avoidance of toxic substances, Mental health and Sleep.
“Lifestyle medicine uses our daily habits to manage chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and some cancers,” Monye said. “It is internationally recognised and not something we invented locally. It helps people prevent and reverse diseases without relying solely on drugs and expensive medical procedures.”
Monye expressed concern over the increasing cases of sudden deaths, heart attacks and what she described as “slump-and-die syndrome,” noting that many Nigerians have abandoned the healthier lifestyles practised by earlier generations.
She attributed the trend largely to behavioural choices, stressing that poor diet, unresolved stress and unhealthy relationships contribute significantly to premature deaths. “People are dropping dead not because anyone is after them, but because of their behavioural patterns. If vegetables are expensive, plant your own garden. On relationships, make peace with everyone and don’t carry grudges,” she said.
Monye advised Nigerians to consume more vegetables and plant-based foods, build positive social relationships, stay physically active, avoid harmful substances such as tobacco, alcohol and excessive sugar, manage stress effectively and prioritise seven to eight hours of quality sleep daily.
In her remarks, the President of SOLONG, Dr Moyosore Makinde, emphasised that lifestyle medicine is an evidence-based discipline distinct from herbal or alternative medicine and is driven strictly by scientific research.
She cited findings from a landmark 18-month study which showed that individuals placed on structured lifestyle modification programmes achieved better health outcomes, including sustained weight loss and stable blood glucose levels, compared to those relying on medication alone.
Makinde noted that type 2 diabetes, commonly perceived as a lifelong condition requiring continuous drug use, can be reversed through sustained lifestyle changes. “The root cause of type 2 diabetes lies in our behaviour—what we eat, how we sleep and how active we are. With the DREAMS lifestyle, people can bring diabetes into remission and remain off medication,” she said.
She also stressed the importance of integrating physical activity into daily routines, noting that movement does not necessarily require formal exercise. “We were made to walk, not to drive everywhere. Even if security is a concern, you can walk around your compound. Small daily movements matter,” she advised.
Makinde observed that misconceptions about lifestyle medicine remain widespread, recalling how a radio listener once asked where to buy a “lifestyle tablet,” not realising that the approach focuses on behavioural change rather than medication.
At the conference, themed “Bridge the Health Gap With Lifestyle Medicine: Live Well, Live Longer,” other experts agreed that Nigeria cannot “treat its way out” of the NCD crisis without addressing the behavioural and lifestyle factors driving the surge in chronic diseases.
