Overweight/obesity are currently on the increase in most developing countries. They are also risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and an increased risk for some forms of cancer (Renehan et al., 2008;World Health Organization, 2015). In Ghana, nearly 43% of the adult population is either overweight or obese…
“In this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes” – Benjamin Franklin once said. On ‘taxes’, it is a common refrain in daily conversations of Ghanaians – as they lament “over-taxation”. An associate of mine once noted: “when one makes money, one gets taxed, when one spends, one gets taxed, and when one saves,…
Obesity is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat. It is a medical problem that increases the risk of other diseases and health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers (Goldman et al, 2021). Obesity is prevalent in both children and adults (Bouchard, 2010). Childhood obesity has…
Currently, in Ghana, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are very much available and affordable and may be replaced with water for some people. They have become a part of us; most people cannot finish a meal without drinking one. You will be surprised to know that teenagers and youth are the highest consumers of SSBs. Almost all…
Four-year-old Klenam is all dressed up for school on a Monday morning. She refuses to board her school bus because unlike the usual, she has no snacks. It takes the intervention of her class teacher, Miss Senam who gets her a bottle of Fanta, some biscuits, and toffees to get the little girl to join…
Professor of Nutrition at the Department of Family Health and Community Health at the Fred N Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Professor Francis B. Zotor, has urged the public, especially parents with children, to desist from patronizing sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). According to Professor Zotor, sugar-sweetened beverages are liquids that…
Professor Francis B. Zotor, Professor in Public Health Nutrition at the Fred Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Hohoe, has called on citizens to reduce their consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs). He said research has shown that these sugar sweetened beverages were associated with dental caries, obesity, diabetes,…
Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) the world all over, but particularly in lower-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) is in great abundance and are available at our places of work, faith-based gatherings, our markets, and social events including children’s parties. SSBs are not only very available, but they are also cheap. The rich and the poor can afford to purchase…