source: http://www.interaksyon.com/article/26490/miriam-wants-law-to-regulate-kids-access-to-soft-drinks
MANILA, Philippines – Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has filed a
bill to regulate the sales, and distribution of soda-based products to
mitigate against health risks posed to children and the general public.
"It is the responsibility of the State to protect our children from
exposure to harmful substance. The sale of beverages that pose serious
health risks can be curbed under the State's police power," Santiago
says in her explanatory note on Senate Bill No. 3134. "Many academic
studies have shown that there is nothing healthy about carbonated soft
drinks or soda. Soft drinks contain sugar, artificial sweeteners,
caffeine, phosphorus, and carbon acids which have harmful effects on the
body."
Santiago, picking up a proposed bill brought to Congress by an 8-year-old Quezon City student,
highlighted studies suggesting that soda consumption is associated with
bone diseases. "Soft drink intake also increases the incidence of
dental caries or tooth decay and obesity especialy among adolescents and
young adults.4 Phosphorus, high fructose corn syrup, caffeine, and the
carbon acids impair the body's capacity to absorb calcium," she said.
"Soft drink consumption of children (is) linked to insufficient calcium
in the body, impaired calcification of growing bones, and increased risk
of bone fracture." The senator added that high levels of caffeine in
soft drinks could "disrupt sleep and lead to, anxiety and DNA damage and
hyperactivity especially among children."
The World Health Organization, the senator says, recognizes that
consumption of soft drinks contributes to the growing incidence of
obesity and increases the risk for heart disease worldwide.
Santiago said the filing of her bill is especially relevant given
that Filipinos' per capital consumption of soda is higher than the
global average. She also noted plans by Coca-cola, the biggest soft
drink manufacturer in the world, to increase its investments in the
Philippines with an additional P1 billion pesos; South Korean beverage
company Lotte Chilsung is meanwhile acquiring a 34.4% stake in
Philippine Pepsi bottler Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines (PCPP). These
developments point to still rising demand for soft drinks in the
Philippines, she said.
"Although this is great news in terms of investment, this is not good
for public health especially the children," Santiago said. "A study
involving children aged 6- to 12-years-old in La Trinidad, Benguet shows
the prevalence of dental caries and high consumption of sugar. Soft
drinks are one of the most common sources of dietary sugar (84%)."
Dr. Tim Gill, the Regional Coordinator of the Asia-Pacific
International Obesity Taskforce of Australia warns that more Filipino
children and adolescents are becoming overweight, and therefore more
likely to develop health problems and their complications. The greater
the weight excess - the higher a child's body mass index (BMI) = the
greater the risk of acquiring so-called metabolic syndromes early in
life, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and other
cardiovascular diseases.
A national nutrition survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition
Research Institute (FNRI) reveals a steady rise in obesity cases from
5.7 percent in 1989 to 8 percent in 1993 and then to 8.8 percent in
1998, Santiago said.
Santiago's bill, should it become law, would regulate the
distribution of soft drinks in all schools in the Philippines, from
pre-school to high school, whether public or private.
