Report ANI
Islamabad: The Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) organized an awareness session at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, on Thursday, highlighting the growing threat of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the need for mandatory Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPWLs) on food products.
Speaking at the session, PANAH President Maj. Gen. (R) Masud-ur-Rehman Kiani said the rapidly increasing burden of NCDs had become a serious public-health challenge in Pakistan. He noted that diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases and certain cancers were affecting millions of people, while approximately 60 per cent of deaths in the country were linked to NCDs.
He identified the widespread consumption of ultra-processed and unhealthy food products, particularly those high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, as a major contributor to the growing health crisis.
Maj. Gen. (R) Kiani emphasized that consumers had the right to know what they were eating and called for the immediate implementation of mandatory Front-of-Pack Warning Labels. He said clear, prominent and easy-to-understand warnings could help consumers identify products containing excessive amounts of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, enabling them to make more informed and healthier dietary choices.
PANAH General Secretary Sana Ullah Ghumman highlighted the vital role of young people in preventing the growing NCD burden. He urged students to support PANAH’s campaign for mandatory FOPWLs and actively participate in raising awareness about healthy eating habits and the harmful effects of excessive consumption of unhealthy and ultra-processed foods.
Mr. Ghumman encouraged students to use social media, digital platforms, university societies and community engagement initiatives to educate the public and promote healthier lifestyles.
He said that young people were not only the future of Pakistan but could also make a meaningful contribution today by raising awareness, influencing healthier choices and advocating for stronger public-health policies.
PANAH called upon students, universities, healthcare professionals, civil society organizations and policymakers to work together to prevent NCDs and promote healthier food choices across the country.
The association stressed the importance of effectively implementing mandatory Front-of-Pack Warning Labels to ensure that consumers had access to clear nutritional information and could make informed decisions about the food they purchased.
PANAH reiterated that empowering young people and improving food labelling were important steps towards protecting public health and safeguarding future generations from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
