By Tosin Clegg
A new peer-reviewed study by Nigerian public health researcher Uzubuaku Ifeanyi Abraham has highlighted how chronic stress and economic hardship are driving obesity patterns in low-income communities, with significant implications for Nigeria and other African countries.
The study, published in the Shodh Sagar Journal of Medical Research Advancement, examines the interaction between persistent financial insecurity, food scarcity, and psychosocial stress, showing how these factors jointly increase obesity risk rather than acting in isolation.
According to the research, prolonged exposure to economic uncertainty activates biological stress pathways that affect appetite regulation and fat storage, while limited access to nutritious food and safe spaces for physical activity further compounds the problem. This condition, the paper notes, are increasingly common in many Nigerian urban and peri-urban communities.
Speaking on the relevance of the findings, Abraham said the study reflects realities faced daily by millions of households across Nigeria.
“In many Nigerian communities, obesity is no longer simply a matter of diet or personal choice. It is shaped by chronic stress arising from income instability, food insecurity, and living conditions that restrict healthy options,” he said.
The research situates Nigeria within a broader African context, where rapid urbanisation, rising living costs, and changing food environments are occurring alongside persistent poverty. According to the paper, these pressures create a cycle in which economic hardship fuels stress-related eating behaviours, while obesity in turn increases healthcare costs and social vulnerability.
Abraham noted that the Nigerian experience mirrors patterns observed across low- and middle-income countries on the continent.
“Across Africa, we are seeing how structural economic pressures and psychological stress become biologically embedded. Without addressing these underlying factors, obesity prevention efforts will continue to fall short,” he explained.
The paper also outlines evidence-based solutions with direct relevance for Nigeria, including community-based nutrition programmes, stress-management interventions, integrated mental and physical healthcare, and policy measures aimed at reducing economic insecurity. It argues that addressing obesity effectively requires coordinated responses across health, economic, and social policy sectors.
Health experts say the findings are timely, as Nigeria faces a growing burden of non-communicable diseases linked to obesity, particularly in low-income urban areas where access to healthy food and preventive healthcare remains limited.
In recognition of its contribution to public health research, the study received the Best Research Paper Award from the Shodh Sagar Charitable Trust in 2025. Analysts say the work strengthens the evidence base for rethinking obesity as a structural and policy issue rather than an individual failing, especially within African contexts marked by economic volatility and chronic stress exposure.
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