ISLAMABAD, May 10 (APP): The experts on Tuesday at an important media session organized by Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) on the topic of “Disadvantages and Awareness of Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSB)” said that the SSBs were the biggest source of dangerous increase in the non-communicable diseases.
The media session was hosted by General Secretary PANAH Sana Ullah Ghumman flanked by Food Policy Program Consultant, Munawar Hussain; Former Commissioner of Income Tax, Abdul Hafeez; Women Wing PANAH Coordinator, Rohi Hashmi; PML-N leader, Samina Shoaib; PTI leader, Khula Khan and a large number of media personnel were present on the occasion where they were warned about the harmful effects related to sugary drinks and tax policy, said a news release.
PANAH General Secretary Sana Ullah Ghumman said that the purpose of PANAH was to create a healthy society, and through media it informed the public about factors that were detrimental to health. “We also work with lawmakers to develop proposals for the prevention of diseases and their causative agents,’ adds the general secretary.
He further said that sugary drinks (SSB) were a major source of sugar in our diet. “Evidence from various countries has shown that consumption of SSB increases the risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.The prevalence of overweight and obesity worldwide has nearly tripled in the last four decades, and is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century,” he regretted.
According to the World Population Study, the prevalence of obesity increased in children, men and women, which also increased health, social and economic costs, whereas the situation in the country was no different, he added.
Former Commissioner of Income Tax Abdul Hafeez said that overweight was the biggest risk factor for type 2 diabetes and can lead to a number of related chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and many cancers.The SSB Consumption Survey of Adults in 187 Countries had found that it is more commonly used in middle-income countries than in high-income or low-income countries.
Samina Shoiab said,”One of the major causes of these diseases is consumption of sugary drinks. That is why health officials in many countries have called for a reduction in the consumption of sugary drinks, an effective way to curb sugary drinks is to increase taxes”.
Women Wing Panah Coordinator Rohi Hashmi said, “We need to think seriously about this, because our children and women are becoming more and more obese, which is one of the major causes of diseases, and one of the major causes of obesity is the frequent consumption of sugary drinks”.
Sana Ullah Ghumman concluded that the increase in taxes was an effective way to reduce the diseases caused by sugary drinks and its consumption. “We appeal to the Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif to include in the forthcoming budget proposals an increase in the tax on sugary drinks. In order to reduce health burden with diseases and increase revenue, Which Pakistan desperately needs at this time”.
