ISLAMABAD, Jul 9 (APP):The Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) has urgently appealed to the authorities concerned to address the rising incidence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, hypertension, and heart diseases.
These health issues are largely due to the unchecked consumption of unhealthy foods high in industrially produced trans-fatty acids (iTFAs), sodium, and sugar, said a press release on Tuesday.
The scale of the problem is likely to rise monumentally in the near future if immediate measures to reduce the dietary risk factors and prevent the incidence of NCDs are not taken. The health sector experts agree that iTFAs, sodium, and sugar are major dietary risk factors for coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancers, hypertension, and premature deaths.
In letters, CPDI, a non-partisan civil society organization, has urged Provincial Governments to coordinate with the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) to develop and enforce mandatory standards. These standards should limit iTFAs to less than 2 percent in all food items, as per WHO recommendations, and prevent government organizations from procuring foods high in iTFAs, sodium, and sugar.
CPDI asks to ensure that sugary drinks and foods with high content of iTFAs, sodium, and sugar are not available/ sold in schools, hospitals, courts, public parks, and other government facilities. In addition, CPDI has urged to eliminate government subsidy on sugar, sugary drinks, and foods with high content of iTFAs, sodium, and sugar, including on products that are procured/ distributed through various government-funded organizations or programs, and to subsidize and promote healthy and nutritious food options to prevent NCDs and facilitate consumption of healthy food.
Executive Director, CPDI, Mukhtar Ahmad Ali expressed the hope that these measures will significantly and positively address the NCDs-related public health crisis in the country.
مضمون کا ماخذ : کوئٹہ لاٹری
