Expert: Sugar-sweetened Beverages Raise Children's and Adolescents' Risk of High Blood Pressure

According to Dr. Francis Fagbule, a public health consultant at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, Oyo State, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), also referred to as soft drinks, are a significant factor in the rise in the risk of high blood pressure (HBP) in Nigerian children and adolescents.

In Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, on Monday, Fagbule made this revelation while giving a paper at a journalism workshop on "Effective SSBs Tax and Industry Monitoring," which was arranged by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).

He said that throughout the previous 20 years, high blood pressure had significantly increased in Nigeria, noting that although there had been a 5% increase Rural areas saw a two percent increase in urban areas.

Dr. Adaeze Oreh, the Rivers State Commissioner for Health, stated in her welcome speech that non-communicable diseases, like as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders, have grown to be a global and Nigerian public health problem.

Oreh said that non-communicable diseases account for 30% of deaths in the nation each year. He was speaking on behalf of Dr. Ifeoma Nwadiuto, Director of Public Health and Disease Control in the Rivers State Ministry of Health.

"Non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, have become a global and national public health concern," the speaker stated. An astounding 41 million people die from NCDs every year, with 30% of all fatalities in Nigeria coming from NCDs.

It is crucial to address the underlying causes of these avoidable illnesses in light of this findings. It is well recognized that bad diets and lifestyle choices over time can cause non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and disability adjusted life years (DALYs).

Carbonated drinks, also referred to as soft drinks or sugar-sweetened beverages, are non-alcoholic liquids with an excessive sugar content. These drinks' sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream, which raises blood sugar levels and increases the risk of a number of illnesses, such as obesity and other non-communicable diseases.

Dr. Vetty Agala, the acting executive secretary of the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Program (RIVCHPP), stated in her keynote address that if action is taken over sugar-sweetened beverages, 30 percent of mortality in the nation will decrease.