ISLAMABAD: While 60 percent of deaths in Pakistan are due to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), the major reason for the deaths is ultra-processed food.

This was stated by the speakers during an event titled “Sensitization Session on Health Harms of Ultra-Processed Food and Way Forward” organised by the Pakistan Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP) and the Pakistan National Heart Association (Panah) on Wednesday.

Soft drinks, chips, chocolate, candy, ice cream, sweetened breakfast cereals, packaged soups, chicken nuggets, hotdogs, and fries are examples of ultra-processed food (UPF).

The food has become the first choice of the youth, and it is becoming the cause of diabetes, obesity, and a number of other diseases.

President PAFP Dr Mazhar Mirza said that the NCDs were continuously increasing in Pakistan because of the diet of people.

“The use of ultra-processed foodand an unbalanced diet has been 0increased. I suggest that the government should ensure that there should be labels on UPF that it is hazardous for health,” he said.

He warned that if urgent steps were not taken, by 2045 in Pakistan, 62 million more people would be affected by diabetes. He said that currently, Pakistan is the third country with the highest number of diabetic persons.

Dr Mirza suggested that the masses increase their use of vegetables and fruits so that they would remain healthy.

General Secretary Panah Sanaullah Ghumman said that it was a matter of concern that the ratio of people suffering from diabetes was increasing. He suggested that sweetened beverages and unhealthy edible items should be discouraged.

He said in Pakistan, three-fold of the adult population was suffering from diabetes, which was higher than in India, Iran, China, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

He further said in Pakistan, 30.8 percent of the adult population was suffering from diabetes, which was the highest number across the globe.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2023