WOD 2024: Raising obesity advocates in Nigeria

For World Obesity Day 2024, The Obesity Society of Nigeria (TOSN) carried out various programmes in primary and secondary schools in Nigeria to improve awareness, and also held conversations about obesity in the media.

On World Obesity Day, in collaboration with the Medical Women's Association of Nigeria National Outreach Committee, TOSN went to secondary schools to carry out training with students in order to improve their awareness on obesity, avoid the stigmatisation of people living with obesity, and encouraged them to become obesity advocates to give their peers accurate information on obesity prevention.

In collaboration with Ebonyi State Chapter of Medical Women's Association, TOSN also carried out outreach in primary schools to improve the awareness of students about obesity and also wrote letters to parents to raise awareness and encourage them to choose lifestyle-improving practices. The letter included recommendations for parents to help children reduce screen times, increase activities, include fruits and vegetables at meals, sleep hygiene and more.

Positive feedback was received from parents, saying that it was informative and eye-opening.

The media was not left behind in commemorating World Obesity Day in Nigeria! The Medical Women's Association also went to the Nigerian Television Authority to hold conversations about obesity, share lived experiences and create awareness on obesity as a disease and the need for its prevention and management.