LAHORE: The Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) and the Association for Gender Awareness and Human Empowerment (AGAHE) jointly held a media session on the harmful effects of Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSB) and the need for increasing tax/surcharge to curtail their use.

PANAH General Secretary Sanaullah Ghumman said they had been educating the people about heart disease for the last 37 years and organising conferences, workshops, seminars and walks with civil society, political and media representatives. He said PANAH provided health awareness to the general public and identified factors including SSB which are harmful to health.

Diabetic Association of Pakistan General Secretary Prof Dr Abdul Basit said diabetes was growing exponentially in Pakistan. He mentioned that according to the International Diabetes Federation, Pakistan had been ranked fourth in diabetes. As per the National Diabetes Survey, every 4th Pakistani had diabetes. Increasing tax on Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSB) was an evidence-based effective strategy to reduce its consumption and increase possible revenue for the country, he said.

Global Health Advocacy Consultant Food Policy Program Munawar Hussain said non-communicable diseases were on the rise in Pakistan and contributing to nearly 58 per cent of the total mortality. He said excess sugar consumption was one of the major causes of obesity and its related NCDs.

He said evidence suggested that a decrease in the consumption of SSBs could reduce weight and obesity and related NCDs.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2021