CETA Amendment Bill: A tax for good health
A Nigerian paediatrician highlights the rising danger of non-communicable diseases in children, specifically Type 1 Diabetes, linked to the consumption of ultra-processed foods. The article serves as a warning about the silent health crisis facing families due to poor dietary habits.
Why it matters
It underscores the urgent need for public health awareness regarding the impact of processed food on chronic disease rates in developing nations.
Robert Egbe Quick Read However, several studies, including by the World Health Organisation WHO and the NCD Alliance, show that unhealthy diets, particularly heavily processed and pre-packaged products high in sugar, salt, trans fats and chemical additives, known as ultra-processed foods (UPFs), are a leading risk factor for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some cancers and other NCDs.
Something strange happened to Enugu-based paediatrician, Dr. Chiwetalu Odoh, last Christmas eve. Summoned to the Children’s Emergency Unit at the hospital in Enugu, he expected to meet a critically ill child. Instead, he found a little girl, her mother and her aunt, seated quietly in the waiting area. At first glance, she appeared to be healthy.
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