The Acting Programmes Manager for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Efua Commeh has advised that sugar intake must be regulated as it can trigger non-communicable diseases.

She noted that fizzy drinks especially, have very high sugar levels which is also addictive and mostly consumed by children.

Speaking on Joy News’ AM Show, she warned against children consuming fizzy drinks, because it can lead to health problems like childhood obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

“Now they have developed these paper-packed ones that our children are constantly taking to school. That is a very wrong age for us to introduce them to those. And it’s showing up in their blood. When you are testing their cholesterol, their lipids, childhood obesity is all over the place.”

“Even type 2 diabetes which normally you would consider as occurring in older persons, we keep reducing the age to much younger and younger children. Usually, you will see type 2 diabetes in persons above 40 years but now we have 15 and 16 years old. They are now coming up with it,” she said.

Dr Commeh stated that being physically active can lower the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some cancers.

According to her, physical activity is “like a natural medicine that has been given to us.”

“It is essential that we walk. It’s not everyone that can do the running and jogging. Let us just walk. There are apps on these phones that measure your daily steps. If not, just ensure that every single day, you get up after two hours."

“Sometimes, you can sit at your desk for hours on end. By the time you are done, you are so exhausted. Walk up and down a flight of stairs. Walk around a building,” she said.
She also added that family history can also trigger non-communicable diseases.