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‘Consumption of sugary drinks main cause of heart diseases, diabetes’

By Our Correspondent
January 19, 2022

Rawalpindi : Health experts in a session organised by Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) here in a local hotel on Tuesday expressed that consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is one of the major causes behind heart diseases, obesity, diabetes, and cancer along with a number of other ailments.

Experts are of the view that to control the consumption of sugary drinks to prevent health risks among the public, the government should increase taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages.

The health professionals’ advocacy session on the prevention of consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and taxation policy was held under the chairmanship of Patron PANAH General (r) Ashraf Khan that was hosted by General Secretary and Director Operations of PANAH Sana Ullah Ghumman.

Dr. Abdul Qayyum, Squadron Leader (R) Ghulam Abbas, Dr. Masood Raja, Colonel (r) Ijaz Ahmad Rafi and representatives of Pakistan Medical Association, Family Physicians, Heart International Hospital, Rawalpindi Eye Donor Organization (REDO), Thalassemia, Kidney Association, Cardiac Association, and Chest Association attended the session.

Speaking on the occasion, General (r) Ashraf Khan said that our diet plays important role in preventing diseases and we must pay attention to our diet. One of the major causes of diseases including heart diseases, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and other ailments is the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages which must be avoided, he said.

Dr. Abdul Qayyum said that with the passage of time, our priorities have changed as fresh and natural food has been replaced by unhealthy foods and sugar-sweetened beverages.