QUETTA (APP): Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) on Thursday organized a seminar on the occasion of International Food Day to raise awareness about unhealthy diets aimed at reducing non-communicable diseases.
Director General Health Dr. Noor Muhammad Qazi said that Ultra-processed foods are a major cause of diseases and various countries have taken other policy options to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods as well as put nutrition warning labels on them so that people can know about the healthier foods.
Secretary General PANAH Sanaullah Ghumman said that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart, diabetes, kidney disease, stroke and several types of cancer are skyrocketing in the country.
He added that unhealthy foods such as ultra-processed foods are one of the major causes of diseases. He said Ulema and the media can play an important role in educating people about unhealthy diets.
Sanahullah Ghuman said that thousands of people are losing their lives every day due to unhealthy food. He added that reports show that reducing consumption of ultra-processed products can decrease mortality and morbidity rates.
He said that ultra-processed foods contain harmful ingredients like salt, sugar, trans fats and saturated fats. He called for imposing taxes on ultra-processed foods, regulating their marketing, front-of-pack labelling warning signs and removing these products from schools to reduce deaths and illnesses.
He said that he had appreciated the government’s move to increase taxes on sugary drinks in the Finance Bill 2023-24.
He said that raising taxes is the first and most effective step to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods, but to improve the situation much needs to be done.
Sanaullah said PANAH has launched a campaign to impose front-of-pack labelling on ultra-processed foods which would help people make healthier food choices.
He said PANAH is working with Ulema across the country to raise awareness among people and organized a seminar in Quetta to convey our message to the people that they should eat healthy food and avoid unhealthy foods like ultra-processed foods.
Representatives of journalists said in his address that the media has always been a strong partner of PANAH and always stands shoulder to shoulder with PANAH in this cause.
In their respective speeches, the Ulema praised PANAH’s efforts to protect people from heart and related diseases over the last 40 years and supported PANAH in its campaign against the health hazards of ultra-processed foods.
Abdul Hafeez said that we expect that Ulema and the media will stand with PANAH for its noble cause.
Among the people who participated in the program included Maulana Anwar Haq Haqqani, Dr. Attaur Rehman, Maulana Muhammad Jan Qasmi, Pir Habibullah Chishti, Allama Hashim Mousavi, Syed Naqibullah Agha, Ex-Commissioner FBR Abdul Hafeez, Ulema, a large number of civil society and journalists participated.