ISLAMABAD, Jan 31 (APP): Federal Minister of Health Dr Nadeem Jan on Wednesday said that the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination was committed to take all possible measures to regulate industrially produced trans-fatty acids in all foods and reduce consumption of unhealthy diets to save precious lives.
He said this during a meeting with a coalition of organizations, including the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), Pakistan Youth Change Advocates (PYCA), Pakistan National Heart Association and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI).
During the meeting, the minister’s attention was drawn to the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) linked to the prevalence of industrially produced trans fatty acids (iTFAs) in Pakistani dietary sources.
The minister said “We are ready to call upon an inter-ministerial meeting with the Ministry of Science and Technology to help regulate industrially produced trans-fatty acids in all foods and to adopt the best practice policy.”
The organizations collectively recommended a series of actions to the Ministry of National Health Services, Coordination and Regulation (MoNHSC&R).
They also urged the government to combat the consumption of unhealthy foods through a complete ban on the procurement and serving of ultra-processed food items, especially sweet drinks in official meetings and functions.
Industrially produced trans fatty acids are recognized contributors to NCDs, such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases.
It may be mentioned that 29% of deaths in Pakistan are attributed to cardiovascular diseases, and 43 million Pakistanis suffer from hypertension. With 44 million people in the country either living with diabetes or being pre-diabetic, Pakistan currently holds the top position among countries in terms of diabetes prevalence.
