Junk foods affecting human health.

PESHAWAR -- By Asmat Shah Garwaki

Like pneumonia and diarrhea, overweight and obesity during childhood have increased manifold in recent years in developing countries including Pakistan due to excessive use of unsafe and substandard foods.

Therefore, it was need to the hour to impose ban on sale and purchase of junk foods at least in the educational institutions to safeguard health of the school-going kids.

The substandard food is considered one of the leading causes of diseases including overweight and obesity in children of poor and middle class of the society living in countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Brazil and Mexico etc.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), one out of 10 people in the world fall ill after eating unhygienic and unhealthy food per year. The data revealed that the number of children aged five to 19 having symptoms of obesity and overweight had increased from 11 million in 1975 to 124 million in 2016 worldwide due to junk food consumption during schools' time.

'The cases of overweight and obesity have increased in Pakistan due to excessive consumption of unhealthy food, use of mobile phones and sedentary lifestyle,' said principle medical officer and children specialist, Government Hospital Pabbi Nowshera, Dr Riaz Khan Malik while talking to reporter.

Dr Riaz while citing the Pakistan Health Commission (PHC)'s 2018 report said that over 11% of children in the country were overweight and more than 5% obese, while according to data of compiled through hospitals based studies and surveys revealed that 40% to 50% of children were either overweight or obese, which was a matter of great concern.

He said that the lockdown restrictions, schools and gyms closures, and limited sports events during the COVID-19 era, especially in urban areas, had resulted in the rise of obesity cases in the country. 'Overweight and obesity was as injurious to health as pneumonia and diarrhea and if untreated can lead to serious health complications,' he said, adding that overweight youth aged 20-25 years can easily develop diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, digestive disorders and many harmonic issues.

He said that burgers, shawarma, potato chips, snacks, beverages and open sale of unhygienic foods in bazaars, markets and educational institutions were affecting children's health.

Dr Riaz Malik recommended daily exercise, healthy balanced diet, and avoidance of sugary drinks and dining out to reduce risk of obesity.

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