UAE’s move on sugar products a healthy step

Most of us, I mean the older folks, are aware of the saying ‘Health is wealth’. During our days it was displayed prominently on school notice boards, at playgrounds and even in our homes. My dad had placed a poster next to the fridge, a sort of a reminder to eat healthy. But I don’t see anything on those lines displayed as prominently these days. If it is a poster, it is either of some sugary drink, or a mega burger, or a sugar-loaded dessert. The food that our youngsters are addicted to. Most of it is ‘unhealthy’ though very tempting (“Sugary products to cost more from next year”, Aug. 21, Gulf Today).

In light of this, the UAE government’s decision to extend tax to non-fizzy sweetened beverages, sugary drinks and smoking devices is much appreciated. Consuming fast food and instant sugar-high item is the norm today. We live in a super-fast world, eating on the go while performing multiple tasks. All to earn a little bit of extra money. But we forget the price we pay, by way of ill-health. Obesity, cardiovascular ailments and diabetes is what we get via our diseased lifestyle.

This region is known to have one of the highest prevalence rates of diabetes and obesity worldwide and that is why the UAE government is staying proactive and introducing measures that will safeguard its people, on a regular basis.

It was two years back that UAE first introduced the so called ‘sin tax’ on carbonated drinks, energy drinks and tobacco products. Some of colleagues rued then that it pinched them hard to keep their smoking habit running. Down the line, I know of two of them who gave up smoking altogether.  

Omar Abdullah
By email