Consuming soft drinks may thrill our taste buds, but the hazards associated with such drinks are quite harmful
A fizzy drink is a blend of phosphoric acid, sugar, caffeine, colour and flavours which actually thrill the taste buds of the younger generation. It carries carbon dioxide which has acidic properties. When this acidic drink is taken, the body tries to neutralise it with calcium, which is otherwise a reserve mineral to build bones. Eventually fizzy drinks affect bone development by consuming calcium stores in one’s body. Along with that, it increases the risk of osteoporosis.
Researchers are working to establish the link between cancer and fizzy drinks as it has been observed that societies with high fizzy intake are witnessing an increase in oesophageal cancer. It has been established after years of research by epidemiologists around the world that fizzy drinks’ consumption lead to lower calcium levels and higher phosphate levels in the blood. Simultaneously, when phosphate presence becomes high and calcium level is low, calcium is pulled out of the bones. The bone dissolving phosphorus is high in soft drinks.
Another startling aspect of carbonated drinks is the presence of caffeine. Drinks containing caffeine have a negative impact on a child’s sleep pattern which eventually lowers the energy levels of a child in daytime. People over the age of 40 are more prone to the hazards of fizzy drinks as the kidneys are less able to excrete excess phosphorus, causing depletion of vital calcium. It also decreases both the immunity level of human beings and the antibacterial action of penicillin and ampicillin.
A couple of years ago, a study in the British Dental Journal (2004) found a strong link between fizzy drink consumption and tooth erosion. The risk of tooth erosion was 59 per cent higher in 12- years-olds, and 220 per cent higher in 14-year-olds. Drinking at least four glasses a day was associated with an increased risk of 252 per cent in 12-year-olds and a massive 513 per cent increased risk in 14-years-olds. To imagine the extent of damage soft drinks cause to human teeth one can do a very simple experiment. In a container of a fizzy drink put a human tooth and level it for sometime. The vinegar like acidity of the fizzy drink shall soften the tooth and eventually dissolve it completely. Another interesting fact is when soon after taken a glass of cola when one brushes one’s teeth, the acid of the drink increases the erosion of teeth enamel.
Researchers from the Children’s Hospital, Boston and the Harvard School of Public Health have found that the chances of a child becoming obese increased by 1.6 per cent for each additional can of or glass of sugar-sweetened soft drink they consumed above the daily average. Those children who drank soft drinks consumed almost 200 calories more per day than their counterparts who didn’t. According to one source, teenagers consume between 500 and 1,000 calories per day from sugar- sweetened drinks. These are empty calories with no nutritional value at all. A survey by Grace Wyshak, professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, found that teenage girls who drank pop were three times more likely to break bones than those who drank other drinks. Adolescent girls who fail to get enough calcium will not build enough bone mass; as they age their bones will become thin and fragile, and so they are at a high risk of osteoporosis and broken bones.
In out part of the world, soft drinks are mostly sold in glass bottles which have some hygiene issues related to it. There have been few incidents reported in the print media about the presence of insects in the bottles. Another packaging for soft drinks is polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which are plastic containers. PET bottles can release small amounts of dimethyl terephthalate into foods and beverages. Along with the branded soft drinks, our local market is swamped with Limca or soda which have much larger hazards associated because they do not follow even minimum hygiene procedures, leaving behind the perils of these drinks. A recent and much popular trend in soft drinks is that of ‘energy drinks’ which are available in a large variety, both local and imported.
Unfortunately, Pakistan like many other under-developed countries has to face certain problems originating from the lack of awareness and the absence of initiatives. Whether it is a movement for the restoration of democracy or any water reservoir issue we are bound to lag behind even countries like Nepal. Our neighbour India is going much ahead as far as the issues of public interest go. In 2004, a private New Delhi-based environmental group, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), reported that 12 of the companies’ soft drinks had such high pesticide levels that they could lead to cancer and other diseases.
Western governments after very effective ban on smoking in public places are now heading towards a ban on fizzy drinks and junk food in school. They are facing issues like childhood obesity, but we can suffer more serious consequences if we keep on consuming such items. The majority of our population is striving hard to make ends meet.
In this regard, the responsibility lies on the shoulders of both the ministry of health and the ministry of education. They should come up with sensible solutions, portraying the best of inter-ministerial coordination. The government of Pakistan, which is an ally of the Untied States in the war against terror, should also be an ally of the US in social welfare policies. Our civil society and public sector should also move together to support the government to put a ban on soft drinks in schools throughout the country. Let us save our society from the hazards of carbonated drinks and fast food. Let us strive for a healthy and better Pakistan.
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