FAISALABAD: Speakers have called for steps to combat environmental hazards and adopt


healthy lifestyle to reduce diseases and mortality rate as 3.8 million people die of diabetes each


year only; whereas cancer kills 1.37 million people.


They were addressing at one-day symposium titled andquot;one healthandquot; arranged by US-Pakistan Center


for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security, University of Agriculture Faisalabad at


New Senate Hall.


The session was chaired by the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology Chairman Dr


Anwar-ul- Hassan Gilani, whereas Philmona from Kenyan Embassy Islamabad; University of


Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Punjab Medical


College Principal Alfareed Zafar and other notables also spoke on the occasion.


Dr Anwar-ul- Hassan Gilani said that changing lifestyle, junk food and unphysical activities were


causing obesity that can be called the root cause of the many diseases including diabetes and


cardiovascular diseases. Diabetes Mellitus is the sixth leading cause of death, killing 3.8 million


people each year. He showed his concern that two thirds of them are living in the developing


countries.


Talking about the challenges, he said that plenty of food/high caloric intake, dependence on


impure and processed foods, sedentary lifestyle, environmental Factors/pollutants and less


distance and less time for relaxation and physical activities were posing the serious threat for the


people. He stressed upon the natural health which is the best maintained by lifestyle change


including physical exercise and mental relaxation; nutritional measures/dietary habits and


functional and organic foods.


He said that eight million people are hospitalised each year for the ailments caused by the


ingestion and side effects of prescription drugs. Taking about the herbs, he said that nothing is


better than ginger in stomach disorders. He also said usage of garlic saves oneself from


cardiovascular diseases and ginkgo from old age dementia;


Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that the county was producing the surplus food for the


people. But on the other hand, 40 percent of our population was malnourished. He said that lack


of awareness, affordability issue, unhealthy lifestyle and other factors were provoking


malnutrition in the country.


He said that in the ninetieth century, the region of subcontinent was facing the famine and


extreme hunger situation. On the recommendations of Famine Commission in the late of the


nineteenth century, the Punjab Agricultural Education and Research Institute (now UAF) was


established and now we have abundant food.


Dr Alfareed Zafar said that the country had emerged as the polio free country. He stressed upon


the need to present oneself for accountability. He said that dengue, zika and congo viruses


diseases were breaking out due to lack of cleanness which saves from the many diseases.


US expert Dr Nancy J Allen said such session would help address the issue. She also said that


animals are also the part of this world which are being ignored. Dean Faculty of Veterinary


Sciences Professor Dr Zafar Iqbal said that such session was aimed at raising the awareness. He


said that people must be educated about the healthy lifestyle, and food. Dr Qurban Ali, Dr


Muhammad Ashghar from PMC, Dr Kashif Saleem and Dr Imran Arshad from UAF, Dr Rubina


Tabassum from Pinum also spoke on the occasion.

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