By Helen Ovbiagele
It is very encouraging to know that our citizens are becoming more and more health-conscious, and the days of accusing our ‘enemies’ of being responsible for any ailment we or members of  our families suffer from, are fast running out.

From the responses we got to our piece on the need for NAFDAC to monitor the sugar contents of  pastries and  other manufactured foods and drinks, it is obvious that many of us are concerned about our in-take of uncontrolled sugary drinks and foods.

‘Mrs.  Ovbiagele, thank you so much for that piece on the sugar content in our pastries.  Yes, it is time that the government body that regulates foods and drugs, steps in to bring about sanity.  People have the right to consume sugar as much as they want, but there’s the need to educate them on what they’re doing to their bodies.  All manufactured foods and drinks should have on their labels, how much sugar they contain.

Since I was told that drinks of bitter lemon, tonic, etc, actually contain more sugar than cola and orange drinks,  I steer my family clear of them.  Some bakers just go haywire with the sugar they use to make cakes, chin chin, puff, buns, etc.  They should be called to order. –  Thanks,  Margaret,  Abuja.’

‘Common sense should tell us that anything that is too sugary can’t be good for our health.  The mere fact that when you consume too much of them, you have ‘upset stomach/dysentery’ should be a pointer.  I do agree that the masses are addicted to sugary foods and drinks, and this has led to the development of many sugar-related ailments.  NAFDAC should do something to bring order into into this situation. –  Pere,  Bayelsa.’

‘Madam, have you forgotten the tussle between Dora Akunyili and Coca-Cola over excess sugar in their drinks?  She LOST  the fight!  Yours is water on duck!’

‘Helen, it’s a good idea to invite NAFDAC to step in and regulate sugar content in pastries and drinks, but I think what will work better is  an orchestrated campaign by the government and NGOs, on the danger of  taking too much sugary foods and drinks.

Members of the public should be told by experts that we already have sugar in the carbohydrate foods that we eat, so, when we top up such food with sugary cakes and drinks, we’re damaging something in our system.  Diabetes is on the increase in the country.

With our dismal healthcare system, only the elites can afford good management of this condition which can lead to other ailments.  The man on the street has no means of managing it well.  So, if they’re made aware of the need to reduce considerably their in-take of carbohydrates and sugary things, the number of cases will reduce.  –  Thanks,  Seun,  Ife.’

‘We don’t have a caring people-friendly government anywhere in the country, Helen, so you may be wasting your time on this one.  Those who run the country can afford expensive treatment of their ailments and those of members of their families abroad, so, why should they be concerned about you and me, and the amount of sugar we consume?  They just don’t care.  Stashing away money and struggling for power are the order of the day.’

‘NAFDAC may be called in to instruct the bakers  and soft-drinks manufacturers, on how much sugar they should put in their pastries and drinks, but I think we should help ourselves and our families too. Since most young people are computer and internet savvy these days, ask those in your family to google ‘sugar & our health’ on the internet.

Thus they would learn from a neutral party that they cannot argue with, what the risks are.  Discuss what they’ve read with them and ask them what they can do about the sugar they take.  You may not get 100% success on this, but you’ve created the awareness which may hopefully,  help them control their appetite for sugary things.’

‘Mrs. Ovbiagele, widespread creation of awareness of the danger in taking too much sugary foods and drinks among school children at all levels, market people, church and mosque goers, workers, etc., will go a long way to helping people understand better.

NAFDAC can help to some extent, but how do you control the amount of sugar that people should put in their pap, tea, cereals, gari, etc.?  People should be convinced that too much of the stuff is not good for their health, before they will agree to reduce their in-take.  So, it’s over to the health NGOs, and government health departments nationwide.’

‘Thanks, Helen, for your write-up on sugar level in pastries.  Please draw attention to the sugar content in YOGURT.  What about what’s sold us as OLIVE oil in this country?  Thanks –  Manni.’

‘Isn’t it an infringement on our human rights to tell us how much sugar we should consume?   I think NAFDAC should stick to seeing that we’re not sold poisonous foods and drugs, not wasting their time telling soft drinks and pastry makers how much sugar they should put in their products.

I agree that too much sugar is bad for our health, but let’s be realistic.  If the sugar level in chin chin is cut to half of the usual one, how do you control how much chin chin a person should take?  He/she may takes lots of packs which would exceed the sugar level recommended.

I submit that catching them young from  primary or even nursery school level, to inculcate in them the danger in taking too much sugary things, will work much better than NAFDAC’s efforts.  Talks given by experts and victims of sugar-related ailments would help too.  Thanks –  Oliver, Mushin, Lagos.’

‘We may well call on NAFDAC to regulate sugar level in packaged foods and drinks, but food and drinks manufacturers have a responsibility to ensuring that what they sell to us will not damage our health.  Many of the big companies have experts on health matters, or should have.  These ones should advise on what is safe, and the companies should comply, and also put sugar contents on their labels.’

We thank all those who reacted to this piece.