NAFDAC Launches 'Read Food Label' Campaign

The United States — Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) has launched a nationwide 'Read the Food Label Campaign' in Nigeria, spearheaded by its Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye. The campaign, in collaboration with Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, the World Health Organization, the University of Abuja, and other partners, aims to empower Nigerians to make informed food choices by understanding nutritional labels. Mojisola Adeyeye emphasized that food labels are crucial public health tools, not just regulatory requirements, and warned that excessive consumption of foods high in salt, sugar, saturated fats, and trans fats contributes significantly to the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria. Data from the World Health Organization indicates that non-communicable diseases account for about 29% of all deaths in Nigeria. The University of Abuja, through Dike Ojji, highlighted its role in providing research for national food labelling policies. The Nutrition Society of Nigeria, led by Salisu Maiwada, and other stakeholders like Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, Network for Health Equity and Development, and Resolve to Save Lives, have pledged their support to drive awareness and promote healthier dietary habits across the country. The campaign is a long-term intervention to institutionalize a culture of reading food labels and using nutritional information for healthier choices.