The high cost of affordable junk food
Dhaka is often attributed as the rickshaw capital of the world. However, now-a-days it seems the city is trying its utmost to become the world's junk-food capital as well. While the junk-food industry provides employment to approximately 2.3 million people countrywide, the harm that it causes to our health and eventually to our economy in the long run, cannot just be brushed aside.
A study in Iran showed that having fast-food more than twice a week can lead to metabolic syndromes, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and even death from coronary heart diseases. Junk-food has also been proven to cause various mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety and insomnia.
A study by the European Commission revealed that on an average, each European country spends 7% of their GDP every year to cure diseases that are caused by unhealthy foods.
According to UN Habitat, Dhaka is the most crowded and one of the most poorly designed cities in the world. Consequently, there is barely any ideal place where the city dwellers can spend some quality time with their friends or families. As a result, most residents are forced to opt for the restaurants and the food courts that have mushroomed over the years for their excursions.
But this creates a very problematic scenario. According to a study published in a PLOS journal, almost 8.4 million Bangladeshi adults had diabetes in 2019 which is likely to almost double by 2045. To add to the woes, some doctors of Bangladesh have already warned that diabetes and cardiovascular diseases are well on their way to becoming the epidemics and the junk-food industry is the biggest enabler of this impending health crisis.
Therefore, to avoid a potential health emergency, we must take immediate measures to restrain the booming unhealthy food businesses in Dhaka. Massive awareness campaigns should be launched to make people conscious about the harmful impacts of fast-food. Large scale studies must be phased into discern the real toll of the health problems that are caused by junk-food.
Based on the sestudies, a comprehensive tax structure should be devised, which will specifically target the fast-food industry.The government should also put significantly more emphasis on developing the infrastructures of the public parks in Dhaka.
Open spaces where people can have some quality time without being surrounded by unhealthy food, should be established in every neighborhood. We have been hearing "health is wealth" ever since our childhood - it is time we truly ponder the meaning of this saying.
The writer is a freelance researcher and writer.
Email: tanjimhk98@gmail.comb