Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41184911›Full record

ArticleJournal of health, population, and nutrition2025

Availability, healthiness and sodium content of packaged and unpackaged foods and beverages in nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Adedayo E Ojo, Katrina R Kissock, Alexandra Jones, Vanessa Alfa, Erica L Jamro, Gabriel L Shedul, Ikechukwu A Orji, Iyer Guhan, Clementina Ebere Okoro, Tunde M Ojo and 14 more

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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of health, population, and nutrition, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

24 authors.

Adedayo E OjoCardiovascular Research Center, University of Abuja and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, 902101, Abuja, Nigeria. adedayo.ojo@uniabuja.edu.ng.
Katrina R KissockThe George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Alexandra JonesThe George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Vanessa AlfaCardiovascular Research Center, University of Abuja and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, 902101, Abuja, Nigeria.
Erica L JamroCardiovascular Division and Global Health Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
Gabriel L ShedulCardiovascular Research Center, University of Abuja and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, 902101, Abuja, Nigeria.
Ikechukwu A OrjiCardiovascular Research Center, University of Abuja and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, 902101, Abuja, Nigeria.
Iyer GuhanCardiovascular Division and Global Health Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
Clementina Ebere OkoroCardiovascular Research Center, University of Abuja and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, 902101, Abuja, Nigeria.
Tunde M OjoCardiovascular Research Center, University of Abuja and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, 902101, Abuja, Nigeria.
Kathy TrieuThe George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Fraser TaylorThe George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Kylie HowesThe George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Nadia LaznikThe George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Halima AbdulkarimNational Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Abuja, Nigeria.
Regina GarbaNational Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Abuja, Nigeria.
Promise OgbonaNational Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Abuja, Nigeria.
Diederick E GrobbeeJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center, Julius Global Health, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CG, The Netherlands.
Linda Van HornDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Lisa R HirschhornDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Sanne A E PetersJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center, Julius Global Health, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CG, The Netherlands.
Bruce NealThe George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Mark D Huffman *The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Dike B Ojji *Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Abuja and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, 902101, Abuja, Nigeria.

Funding

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)) UH3HL152381
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNigeria is experiencing a growing burden of diet-related non-communicable diseases, particularly hypertension and cardiovascular disease, largely driven by high sodium intake and poor diet quality. Unhealthy dietary patterns characterized by excessive sodium, sugars, and unhealthy fats, and low intake of essential nutrients contribute to approximately 31% of global deaths annually. However, there is limited data on the sodium content and nutritional quality of foods in Nigerian markets. This study assessed and compared the availability, healthiness, and sodium content of packaged and unpackaged foods in Nigerian markets.

methodsFrom August 2022 to December 2022, we collected and compared nutrition data on packaged and unpackaged foods from 35 outlets across three states in Nigeria. Data collection utilized the Food Switch Data Collector App. Healthiness was assessed using the Health Star Rating (HSR) system, which rates products from 0.5 (least healthy) to 5 stars (most healthy) based on their nutritional profile. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics for packaged/unpackaged foods, calculating mean health star rating values and comparing them using Welch's t-test, and analyzing sodium content using descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U tests.

resultsPackaged foods and beverages (n = 6636) were more available than unpackaged foods (n = 507). Overall, unpackaged foods had a higher mean HSR than packaged foods (4.6 vs. 3.4, p < 0.001). Packaged meat and meat alternatives had significantly higher sodium (760.0 mg/100 g, IQR 560.0) compared to unpackaged (74.0 mg/100 g, IQR 45.0) (p < 0.001).

conclusionsPackaged foods and beverages in Nigeria were less healthy and contained higher sodium levels than unpackaged foods. To encourage healthier diets, the Nigerian government should implement policies such as reformulation and front-of-pack nutrition labeling to improve the healthiness of packaged foods.

Indexed as

BeveragesDiet, HealthyFood LabelingFood PackagingNutritive ValueSodium, DietaryCross-Sectional StudiesHumansNigeriaSodium, DietaryHealthinessNigeriaNutritionPackaged foodSodium intakeUnpackaged food

Identifiers

PMID41184911
PMCPMC12581460

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.