The World Obesity Atlas 2023 report has shown that Nigeria is least prepared to deal with the rising Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and obesity globally.
Publication by the World Obesity Federation, shows that Nigeria ranks 180 out of 183 countries on the NCDs-Obesity Preparedness Rankings.
The ranking system takes account of countries’ current health system responses to the NCDs and their commitment to the implementation of obesity prevention policies.
The report shows marked variations in preparedness across national income levels and geographical regions. For example, the average preparedness ranking for low-income countries is just 154/183 compared to 29/183 for high-income countries. All 10 of the most prepared countries are in Europe, while eight of the 10 least prepared countries are in the African region.
Other countries least prepared to deal with NCDs-obesity are Niger ranking 183; Papua New Guinea 182; Somalia 181; Central African Republic 179; Burkina Faso 178; Guinea Bissau 177; Burundi 176; Tokelau 175 and Gambia 174.
Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, France, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Ireland, and Belgium are listed to be most prepared to deal with obesity and NCDs.
The trends suggest a gradual rise in prevalence for all groups over the period 2020 to 2035, but the pace of change for lower-income countries and especially the lowest-income countries could well increase relative to the last two decades.
