NASR Partners Augie-Kuta to Tackle Abdominal Obesity

James Emejo in Abuja

The National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR), has partnered with celebrity photographer, Aisha Augie-Kuta to launch the “#BigBelleFitKillPerson” campaign aimed at creating awareness and addressing abdominal obesity affecting 47 million Nigerians.
NASR is Nigeria’s leading advocacy group for the reduction of sugary drinks.

The campaign featured striking visuals aimed at highlighting the health risks of abdominal obesity – a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is one of the major causes of obesity in Nigeria.
According to the group, “Many Nigerians associate obesity with simply being chubby or fat and do not recognise that a build-up 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.”

Essentially, it noted that the 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.”
In a statement, Secretary of NASR, Omei Bongos-Ikwue, pointed out that research had shown that almost six million Nigerians suffer from hypertension due to obesity.

Bongos added that the campaign would help change public perception about what it means to be obese as most Nigerians do not recognise that they may be at risk due to excess belly fat.
The campaign also signalled NASR’s continued commitment to reducing sugary drinks consumption in Nigeria while promoting overall health awareness among its citizens.

Meanwhile, Augie-Kuta’s striking images portray the real meaning of obesity for women and men. According to science, obesity amounts to a waist circumference that exceeds 88 cm in women and 102 cm in men.

NASR is committed to reducing sugary drinks consumption in the country through policy advocacy and behavioural campaigns.
Since its inception, 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.