Experts warn poor lifestyle driving stroke epidemic among youths
Experts warn that poor lifestyle is driving a stroke epidemic among young people in Nigeria, with stroke cases increasingly being diagnosed in people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. The World Health Organisation has identified stroke as a major public health burden in Nigeria, driven by rising incidence in younger adults and persistently high mortality rates.
Stroke, once predominantly associated with older adults, is now increasingly being diagnosed in people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s in Nigeria. The World Health Organisation describes stroke as a medical emergency that occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. In Nigeria, stroke remains a leading cause of death and long-term disability, with reported case fatality rates ranging between 22 and 46 per cent within weeks of onset. A growing proportion of strokes among young Nigerians is being driven by modifiable lifestyle factors, undiagnosed medical conditions, and environmental stressors. Hypertension is identified as the leading risk factor, accounting for 80 to 90 per cent of cases. The WHO, in collaboration with Nigerian health authorities, continues to classify stroke as a major public health burden.
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