It is estimated that in next 22 years (by 2045), more than 62 million Pakistanis will be living with diabetes. This has been found out in a dietry survey conducted recently. According to the findings of the survey, Pakistan is currently grappling with a concerning surge in diabetes, with every third adult Pakistani living with the disease and the country is ranked at the top in diabetes prevalence rate globally.
Empirical evidence from Pakistan suggests that unhealthy diets including high consumption of sugar and industrially produced trans-fatty acids (TFA) have become a significant contributor to Pakistan’s diabetes epidemic. The iTFAs are commonly found in banaspati ghee, cooking oils, bakery ware, deserts, fried street foods and many other ultra-processed foods.
Director of Communications and Advocacy at Pakistan Youth Change Advocates (PYCA), Afshar Iqbal said, “An approximate amount of $2640 million was the cost of diabetes management in Pakistan in 2021 by the International Diabetes Federation.” By 2045, if immediate policy action is not taken, it is projected that 62 million Pakistanis will be living with diabetes and suffering from its associated complications.
This staggering statistic necessitates immediate action to curb the rising diabetes prevalence, shared Afshar Iqbal. With an aim to regulate the prevalence of industrially produced TFAs (iTFAs) in Pakistani dietary sources, PYCA with the support of the Global Advocacy Incubator for Health (GHAI), Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination and in collaboration with other civil society actors such as the Center for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) launched the Transform Pakistan campaign earlier this year. “Under the TRANSFORM Pakistan campaign, we are demanding from the government to adopt best practice policy and placing a mandatory limit of 2gm of iTFAs in every 100 gm of fat in all food items across Pakistan,” added Afshar.
