The Ministry of Health (MOH) has warned of over-consumption of sugar, highlighting that it is a major contributor to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay; which increases the risk of heart diseases and cancer.
“People who consume sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) regularly (one to two cans a day or more) have a 26% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people who rarely consume such drinks; as one can contains an average of about ten teaspoons of sugar,” stated MOH.
MOH has earlier underscored the need to reduce the intake of artificial juices (concentrate, packed and powdered beverages). This came through an infographic published on its twitter page within its awareness series: «30 Ramadan Messages», highlighting that such types of juices have few benefits, but they contain large amounts of sugar, coloring, flavors, and no real fruits.
It is worth mentioning that the prevalence of obesity has tripled since 1975, and has increased tenfold among children and adolescents. The number of people with diabetes has risen from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014.