The single sharpest fact in one or two punchy sentences. Who did what, where, when, and why it matters. Not a summary of everything — the one thing that makes someone stop scrolling. A reader who only reads this paragraph must understand what happened. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has launched a campaign urging Nigerians to read food labels to make informed choices about their diet. According to the agency, excessive consumption of foods high in salt, sugar, saturated fats, and trans fats has contributed significantly to the increasing prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and other non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.
NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye said unhealthy diets have become a major contributor to cardiovascular diseases and other chronic illnesses in Nigeria. She noted that the agency has data showing non-communicable diseases account for about 29% of all deaths in Nigeria, with cardiovascular diseases responsible for the largest share.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Dike Ojji, the Lead Investigator on Cardiovascular Health at the University of Abuja, said the university has played a leading role in generating research evidence that informed national policies on nutrient profiling and front-of-pack food labelling. He added that the institution would continue to support efforts aimed at improving public awareness and promoting healthier food choices among Nigerians.
Prof. Salisu Maiwada, the President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, pledged the society's support for the initiative, saying nutrition professionals across the country would drive awareness campaigns in schools, communities, and local government areas. He noted that the society has members in every local government area of Nigeria and would take the campaign to every part of the country.
The Read the Food Label Campaign is part of NAFDAC's broader strategy to promote public health and reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria. Adeyeye said the campaign is aimed at empowering consumers with the knowledge needed to understand food labels and make healthier food choices.
Prof. Adeyeye shared her personal experience with food labeling, saying a childhood reaction by her son to a food additive inspired her to develop the habit of checking food labels whenever she shops. She said she now checks the sugar content, sodium level, and other nutritional information on food products before making a purchase.
Adeyeye warned that excessive consumption of foods high in salt, sugar, saturated fats, and trans fats has contributed significantly to the increasing prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and other non-communicable diseases in Nigeria. She said the ability of consumers to understand, interpret, and apply information on food labels has never been more important.
The University of Abuja has been at the forefront of ensuring proper food labelling in Nigeria. Prof. Ojji said the institution's research findings have been highly valuable in developing national policies on nutrient profiling and front-of-pack food labelling.
The Nutrition Society of Nigeria has pledged to support the initiative, with Prof. Maiwada noting that the society has members in every local government area of Nigeria and would take the campaign to every part of the country. The society would also dedicate part of its annual conference in September to promoting the campaign.
Nigeria is facing a growing burden of diet-related non-communicable diseases as changing lifestyles and increased consumption of ultra-processed foods continue to fuel cases of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers.
The Read the Food Label Campaign is a timely intervention that would improve nutrition literacy and encourage consumers to make healthier dietary decisions. Abayomi Sarumi, the representative of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, described the campaign as a long-term public health intervention designed to institutionalise a culture of reading food labels and using nutritional information to make healthier dietary choices.