A Gombe-based cardiologist, Dr Abubakar Sani, has warned that excessive consumption of sugary drinks significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases in children. Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday, Sani said regular intake of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) could predispose children to heart disease, hypertension, and Type 2 diabetes, especially amid the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases.
The consultant cardiologist at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, urged parents to pay closer attention to the health impact of sugary drinks on children’s heart health. He noted that many parents routinely include sugary juices and other SSBs in school lunches, exposing children to dangers such as obesity and severe tooth decay, and stressed the need for increased awareness to protect children from long-term health complications.