The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has called on Nigerians to make it a habit to read food labels before purchasing packaged food products, warning that unhealthy diets are contributing to the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases in the country.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, made the appeal in Abuja during the launch of the Read the Food Label Campaign, an initiative organised by the agency in collaboration with the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the University of Abuja, and other development partners.
Professor Adeyeye said the campaign is designed to equip consumers with the knowledge needed to understand food labels and make healthier food choices.
She said, “Today marks another significant milestone in our collective efforts to protect and promote the health of Nigerians by empowering consumers with the knowledge and tools they need to make informed food choices.”
According to her, food labels are more than regulatory requirements, describing them as vital public health tools that provide essential information on the nutritional content and safety of food products.
She urged consumers to embrace the habit of checking labels before making purchases.
“Reading food labels should become a shared responsibility. Everyone who purchases food should make it a habit to read food labels before making a purchase,” she said.
The NAFDAC boss recalled that a childhood allergic reaction experienced by her son due to a food additive motivated her to begin reading food labels whenever she shops.
She explained that she now pays close attention to details such as sugar and sodium content to help her family maintain a healthy diet.
Professor Adeyeye warned that excessive intake of foods high in sugar, salt, saturated fats and trans fats is fueling the rise in hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and other non-communicable diseases across Nigeria.
Quoting data from the World Health Organization, she noted that non-communicable diseases account for about 29 per cent of deaths in Nigeria, with cardiovascular diseases responsible for the highest proportion.
Also speaking at the event, the Lead Investigator on Cardiovascular Health at the University of Abuja, Professor Dike Ojji, said poor dietary habits have become a major driver of cardiovascular and other chronic illnesses.
He noted that the university’s research has contributed significantly to the development of national policies on nutrient profiling and front-of-pack food labelling.
Professor Ojji said, “Our research findings have been highly valuable in developing national policies on nutrient profiling and front-of-pack food labelling.”
The President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Professor Salisu Maiwada, pledged the society’s support for the campaign, saying nutrition professionals across the country would take the awareness initiative to schools, communities and local government areas.
The campaign forms part of NAFDAC’s broader efforts to improve nutrition literacy, promote healthier eating habits and reduce the growing burden of diet-related diseases through informed consumer choices.
