David Arome Sugar-sweetened beverages are popular drinks in the Nigerian market, sold in shops, kiosks, on the streets, and by hawkers everywhere. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines sugar-sweetened beverages as all beverages containing free sugar or other sweeteners. They come in refined, well-packaged forms, while others are locally made. Its refreshing taste and fragrance are so compelling and second to none that they cause more desire for it until satisfaction is attained. Jemimah Adah is a seventeen years old girl who lives in Maraba, Nasarawa State. She lives with her ground mother, shortly after being demised of her parents. Her ground mother trained and enrolled her in a government school in her early years. Jemimah’s high intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) was influenced, by her friends who also share with her SSBs at school. She became addicted to SSBs during her primary school years, to the point where she had lost an appetite for eating but only on SSB drinks. She continued until she became obese and ill and went to the hospital for treatment, only to be told that she had diabetes. She felt so bad and wept all day, but that could not help solve the problem. Jemimah will […]
