Sugary Drinks Link To Several Health Complications: Health Experts

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Oct, 2022 ) :Health experts on Friday said that several health complications were related to the use of sugary drinks and sweetened beverages.

They were addressing an awareness seminar on protecting the health of youth from sugary drinks and sweetened beverages, organized by the Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) with the title enhancing the impact of digital media through youth to educate society on the negative effects of sugary drinks and sweetened beverages.

They said that the high consumption of sugary drinks is one of the major reasons for alarmingly growing obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, several types of cancer, and kidney and liver diseases.

They said that Pakistan is ranked number one with the highest growth rate of diabetes during the last 10 years. Pakistan is ranked third highest globally with 33 million people living with diabetes in 2021.

Health experts said, "If immediate action is not taken, the number of people living with diabetes will increase to 62 million by 2045.

General Secretary of PANAH Sana Ullah Ghumman said that PANAH is raising awareness for healthy youth and a healthy Pakistan. He said that sugary sweetened beverages are one of the major causes of diabetes and obesity and the youth of Pakistan are among the victims of these diseases.

He urged them to understand the seriousness of this issue and work on a war footing basis to reduce the consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs).

Munawar Hussain, consultant Food Policy Program at Global Health Advocacy Incubator said that high consumption of sugary drinks is an increasing threat to the economy of the country.

He added that PIDE estimated Rs. 428 billion as the cost of obesity in 2015. Similarly, as per International Diabetes Federation, the annual cost of managing diabetes in Pakistan has been increased to USD 2640 million in 2021, he added.

Ms. Afshan Tehseen Bajwa, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Commission on Rights of the Child (NCRC) said that Youth can play a vital role to promote healthy foods and added that youth need to be more conscious of making their food choices. "SSBs are very harmful to youth and are major causes of obesity, diabetes and many other diseases." Student groups from schools and colleges shared their views on the effective use of digital media to create awareness among the masses on the health harms of SSB in the country.

The event was attended by health professionals, civil society representatives, youth, and students from different schools and colleges in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.