Parliamentarians want junk food banned in schools

A sub-committee of the Women's Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) called for a ban on fizzy drinks ahnd junk food in schools, as Pakistan earns the undesirable rank of the leading country for diabetes. 

Chaired by Zahra Wadood Fatemi, the panel stressed that sugar consumption must be brought down in the country, pointing towards canned goods, packaged food and fizzy drinks as the prime cause of the "silent killer" disease. 

The panel recommended bringing regulations on private school canteens up to the same stringent rules that are applied in government schools. 

The International Diabetes Forum estimates that Pakistan has a diabetes rate of 26.7 percent adults of the population, one of the highest in the world. In 2021, Pakistan had almost 33 million adult diabetic patients. This number is set to balloon to 62 million by 2045 if strict preventive measures are not taken. 

Fizzy and sugary drinks are one of the main culprits of causing diabetes. A 2010 study showed that the risk of developing diabetes is 26 percent higher for people who consume one or more sugary or fizzy drink per day. 

Even artificial sweetners, such as are used for 'Zero' or 'Low cal' versions of these drinks have links to diabetes.