ISLAMABAD: While 4 out of 10 Pakistanis are overweight or obese and 37pc of the inhabitants has hypertension, the federal government has determined to formulate a national healthy diet policy to deal with the burden of illness.
Director Nutrition on the Ministry of National Health Services Dr Baseer Khan Achakzai introduced this whereas talking to the individuals of an occasion.
“To address the challenge of ensuring the availability and consumption of healthy, safe and nutritious diets by all population groups, the government of Pakistan is committed to formulating a National Healthy Diet Policy with the technical assistance of Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). This policy will provide strategic guidance for the country to ensure the provision of a healthy and nutritious diet for all and formulate robust approaches in light of international best practices that will help us address the challenges occurring because of the consumption of unhealthy diets,” he mentioned.
Plan goals at slicing down on illness burden, says official
On the event, the ministry and a group of GAIN, led by the director of policy and exterior relations Steve Godfrey – at the moment visiting Pakistan – shaped a national technical advisory and advocacy group for the formulation of the “Pakistan National Healthy Diet Policy.”
Mr Godfrey mentioned: “Globally, three billion individuals can not afford a healthy diet and in Pakistan greater than two third of the nation’s inhabitants, which is about 68pc of Pakistanis, can not afford a healthy diet.
Poor diet contributes to six of the highest 10 danger components for the worldwide illness burden. We are assured that this policy supplies a roadmap for the nation to guarantee the supply of a nutritious and healthy diet for its inhabitants but additionally overcomes the challenges posed by a excessive prevalence of malnutrition.”
According to the National Nutrition Survey 2018, greater than 40pc of Pakistani kids beneath 5 years have been stunted and nearly 18 per cent have been wasted. Globally, non-communicable illnesses (NCDs) disproportionately have an effect on individuals in low- and center-earnings international locations the place over three quarters of the deaths happen due to NCDs. For Pakistan, the burden of NCDs is on the rise.
According to the NCD steps survey 2014-15, 4 out of 10 Pakistanis, that’s about 41.3 per cent inhabitants, are overweight or obese whereas 37pc have hypertension.
The Covid-19 pandemic created critical implications by additional deteriorating the state of affairs and consequently growing diet-related illnesses. Pakistan has the third highest burden of kind 2 diabetes worldwide with greater than 33 million instances.
Published in Dawn, December seventh, 2022
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