Public Health expert Dr. Tony Leachon on Monday expressed his alarm over the rising cases of obesity that causes death among Filipinos.
“Dumami ang matataba sa buong mundo. Nagkaroon ng metabolic syndrome," he said during an interview with DZRH.
Leachon explained how artificial sweeteners could cause obesity as it contains high calories which could result to cancer and other diseases.
“Ang isang soda, ang lamang sugar niyan ay 12 teaspoons at [calories na] katumbas ng isang cup ng kanin,” he said.
The Public Health expert noted that the normal and required intake of calory for men is 2,000 calories, while female should only have 1,500 calories.
“Pinagbabawal nila 'yan [artificial sweeteners]. Una, ang alam ko, maraming tumatabang pasyente. Ang obesity kasi ay global,” he said.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), the issue has grown to epidemic proportions, with over 4 million people dying each year as a result of being overweight or obese in 2017 according to the global burden of disease.
Leachon also emphasized that during the pandemic, cases of obesity increased.
“Bumaba [ang nagkasakit] dahil sa Sin Tax. Pero nitong pandemic, dumami ang tumaba dahil nasa bahay lang, lack of exercise, mobility, tapos kasama ito [matatamis] sa kino-consume natin,” he said.
Recently, WHO warned the public from using artificial sweeteners such as aspartame.
“Kapag mataba ka, magkakaroon na ng cancer, among others. Specifically, sinabi nila [UN] na ang aspertame ay carcinogenic,” Leachon noted.
A carcinogen is a substance, organism or agent capable of causing cancer
In 2018, the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute shared that 37.2% of adult Filipinos were obese or overweight.
Public health expert @DrTonyLeachon: Lumabas 'yang issue na 'yan [paggamit ng aspertame] one month ago. 'Yung mga sweetener, ipagbabawal nila [WHO]. At that time, hindi pa nila sinasabi ang rason. #MagandangUmagaPilipinashttps://t.co/EwpA4s94ke pic.twitter.com/MqrVQxeQOf
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) July 2, 2023
