To: Honorable Ms. Maryam Nawaz Sharif
Chief Minister Punjab
.
Subject: Request to Stop the Supply of Canned Flavored Milk to School Children
Our Dear Maryam Nawaz Sharif, ????????? ??????????
I hope this letter finds you in the best of health and spirits.
Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) was established in 1984 at AFIC/NIHD for public advocacy for the prevention of heart diseases and training people in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). The President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan by virtue of his position is our Patron-in-Chief. PANAH undertakes research and works closely with policymakers to advocate for policies to reduce Non-communicable Diseases and many other fetal diseases.
It is well fact that high consumption of Sweet drinks like sodas, juices, chocolate shakes flavored milk, etc are among the major causes of obesity, diabetes, heart diseases, several types of cancers, liver and kidney diseases, and tooth decay in children. The research shows that these drinks are high in sugar and their regular consumption increases the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes by 30 percent. The National Nutrition Survey estimates that the number of overweight children has doubled from 2011 to 2018 in Pakistan and people living with diabetes have increased to over 33 million in 2021.
According to media news, we learned that a project was approved to provide canned flavored milk to fifth-grade students in Punjab. We would like to bring to your attention that flavored milks is high in sugar and should not be provided to children as per recommendations by the World Health Organization (WHO). This will prove counterproductive and cause an increase in obesity and many diseases among children. We request you to halt the supply of flavored milk to school students and switch to unsweetened milk which is a healthier alternative for children.
We are available to brief you and provide more facts about flavored milks and the risks associated with it to school-aged children.
“Friends of PANAH,
Friends of Humanity”
Yours sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd)
President PANAH
& Chairman PHMC
Dr. Masud Ur Rehman Kiani
HI(M); SI; T.Bt
