Nigerian women and girls are increasingly facing health risks linked to poor food environments, experts say, as access to nutritious options remains limited and ultra-processed foods dominate urban and rural markets.
During International Women’s Month, nutrition specialists highlighted that food environments, the physical, economic, and social factors determining what is available, affordable, and promoted, play a crucial role in shaping women’s diets and overall health.
“Healthy eating is not simply a matter of personal choice,” said Bukola Olukemi-Odele, a food and nutrition scientist and Programme Officer at Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA. “For millions of women and girls, the concept of choice is often an illusion.”
Experts warn that ultra-processed foods, UPFs, such as packaged snacks, frozen meals, sugary drinks, and reconstituted meats, are increasingly filling supermarket shelves. These products are engineered to encourage repeat consumption and are often high in sugar, salt, fats, and flavour enhancers, contributing to poor dietary habits.
Health consequences are already evident. The Global Nutrition Report indicates that 15.7 percent of Nigerian women are living with obesity.
UPF consumption has also been linked to early puberty in young girls, increasing the risk of breast and ovarian cancers later in life. Among pregnant women, diets rich in UPFs are associated with gestational hypertension, diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and complications affecting reproductive health.
Marketing strategies that target women as primary household food providers exacerbate the problem. Instant meals and packaged snacks are presented as convenient and affordable options for busy women, often making unhealthy choices the default in many households.
Experts say the effects extend beyond health. Diet-related illnesses lead to lost workdays, higher medical costs, and reduced economic participation, particularly affecting women already navigating income disparities.
Nutrition advocates are calling on the government to adopt policies that regulate food environments, including fiscal measures to discourage unhealthy products, front-of-package warning labels, salt limits in processed foods, and restrictions on aggressive marketing targeted at women and children.
“Food justice is a key feminist issue,” Olukemi-Odele said. “Ensuring women and girls have access to nutritious food is essential for their health, empowerment, and the wellbeing of future generations.”
