Staff Reporter
Dr Noshin Hamid, Parliamentary Secretary, Federal Department of Health, Pakistan has said that the health of the people is one of the top priorities of the government. To address health issues, Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSB) are not our priority.
Implementing the Health Levy Bill is an effective way to reduce its use, so that adults, especially children, are protected from developing non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
She was speaking on the occasion of the launching report of the results of a public survey on Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSB) by the joint efforts of Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH), Department of Health, PHRC and Food Policy Program GHAI.
Maj Gen.
(Retd) Masood-ur-Rehman Kayani, President, Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH), thanked all the participants and said that since simple food has ceased to be part of our daily routine, we are prone to more diseases. If you want to stay healthy Eat, make daily walks and exercise your routine.
Dr Noshin Hamid, Parliamentary Secretary, Federal Department of Health, Pakistan, said that 60 to 70 percent of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a cause of concern, one of the main reasons being Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSB).
Dr Basir Khan Achakzai, Director, Nutrition Program, said that for a healthy mind, the body must be made healthy.
A representative of the Pakistan Health Research Council (PHRC) Dr Arif said that a total of 6,824 people aged 18 and above from across the country, including the capital Islamabad, expressed their views on Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSB) .
The survey found that 6 in 10 Pakistani households have at least 1 person suffering from obesity and NCDs including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular dieses and hypertension obesity and overweight is a major concern among Pakistani residents. More than 4 out of every 5 adults are concerned about obesity.
More than 4 out of every 5 adults believe that SSBs are a major contributor to obesity and believe that too much sugar can cause serious health problems in Pakistan.
Munawar Hussain, Consultant Food Policy Program (GHAI), said that Rs 210 billion is spent on obesity in the United States, while Pakistan is also under financial burden due to diseases caused by obesity. Expenditure is the first effective way to reduce SSB consumption.
Dr. Khawaja Masood Ahmad, Coordinator, National Nutrition Program, said that the rate of obesity among five-year-old children has doubled in the last seven years.
