By Perpetua Onuegbu
The National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR), an NGO, and celebrity photographer Aisha Augie-Kuta, has inaugurated the #BigBelleFitKillPerson campaign targeting 47 million Nigerians with abdominal obesity.
Miss Omei Bongos-Ikwue, Secretary, National Action on Sugar Reduction, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to her, the campaign featured striking visuals aimed at highlighting the health risks of abdominal obesity.
Bongos-Ikwue said obesity was a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
She also said that increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is one of the major causes of obesity in Nigeria.
“Many Nigerians associate obesity with simply being chubby or fat, and do not recognise that a buildup of abdominal fat, or a “potbelly,” amounts to obesity.
“This feeds into the common misconception that people with pot bellies are only living the “good life.
“The #BigBelleFitKillPerson campaign dispels this myth by highlighting the health risks of abdominal obesity and its link to the consumption of sugary drinks.
“Large amounts of belly fat can raise the risk of heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
“Research has shown that almost six million Nigerians suffer from hypertension due to obesity”, said Bongos.
According to Bongos, Augie-Kuta’s striking images portray the real meaning of obesity for women and men.
She said according to science, obesity amounts to a waist circumference that exceeds 88 cm in women and 102 cm in men.
“This campaign will help change public perception about what it means to be obese. Most Nigerians do not recognise that they may be at risk due to excess belly fat.
“The #BigBelleFitKillPerson campaign signals NASR’s continued commitment towards reducing sugary drinks consumption in Nigeria while promoting overall health awareness among its citizens,” Bongos said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR) is an advocacy group dedicated toward reducing sugary drinks consumption in Nigeria through policy advocacy and behavioral campaigns.
NAN also reports that NASR has been involved in several initiatives aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles through education campaigns and policy changes.
The group was responsible for the introduction of Nigeria’s sugar sweetened beverages tax in 2021.