Nigerians Urged To Walk More, Sleep Better, Eat Plants To Live Longer

The Society of Lifestyle Medicine of Nigeria (SOLONg) has expressed concern over the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country, warning that poor diet, physical inactivity, stress, and harmful habits are driving an epidemic that now accounts for nearly one-third of all deaths nationwide.

At the 7th Annual International Scientific Conference of the Society, themed: “Bridge the Health Gap With Lifestyle Medicine: Live Well, Live Longer,” held in Abuja, experts emphasised that Nigeria cannot “treat its way out” of the NCD crisis without addressing the behavioural factors fueling the trend.

Speaking at the conference, the Founding President and Chairman of SOLONg, Dr. Ifeoma Monye, explained that lifestyle medicine offers a scientifically proven, cost-effective approach to preventing and reversing chronic illnesses.

She explained that many Nigerians still misunderstand lifestyle medicine, recalling how a radio listener once asked where to buy “the lifestyle tablet,” not knowing it was a behaviour-based approach to health.

“Lifestyle medicine uses our daily habits to manage chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and some cancers. It is internationally recognised and not something we invented locally. It helps people prevent and reverse diseases without depending solely on drugs and expensive medical procedures,” she said.

Dr. Monye lamented the increase in sudden cardiac deaths, heart attacks and “slump-and-die syndrome” in recent years, noting that Nigerians have drifted far from the healthier lifestyles lived by their forefathers.

She said SOLONg summarises the six pillars of lifestyle medicine under the acronym DREAMS: Diet, Relationships, Exercise, Avoidance of toxic substances, Mental health, and Sleep. She urged Nigerians to eat more vegetables and plant-based foods, strengthen positive relationships, move frequently, avoid harmful substances such as tobacco, alcohol and excessive sugar, manage stress effectively, and prioritize seven to eight hours of sleep daily.

“People are dropping dead not because their village people are after them, but because of their behavioural patterns. If vegetables are expensive, plant your own garden. And on relationships, make peace with everyone. Don’t carry grudges,” she said.

Also speaking, President of SOLONg, Dr. Moyosore Makinde, highlighted the importance of evidence in lifestyle medicine, stressing that the discipline is distinct from herbal or integrated medicine and is driven strictly by science.

She cited a landmark 18-month study showing that individuals placed on lifestyle modification programmes achieved better health outcomes, including weight loss and maintained blood glucose levels, than those on medication alone.

Dr. Makinde noted that type 2 diabetes, which many Nigerians believe must be controlled lifelong with drugs, can actually be reversed through sustained lifestyle changes.

“The root cause of type 2 diabetes lies in our behaviour; what we eat, how we sleep, and how active we are. With the DREAMS lifestyle, people can bring diabetes into remission and stay off medication,” she said.

She further encouraged Nigerians to incorporate physical activity into daily life.

“We were made to walk, not to drive everywhere. Even if you’re worried about security, you can walk around your compound. Small daily movements matter,” she advised.