Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa, former Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, has called on Ghanaians to adopt a healthy lifestyle so as to prolong their lives and contribute to national development.

He said diseases that have bedevilled the country is as a result of bad eating habits and lack of exercise thereby giving ailments to more room to operate.

Prof Akosa was speaking at the 15th Public Lecture of Accra College of Medicine on Wednesday.

The lecture was held under the topic: ‘Sugar and Edible Fats—Lifespan Determinants’.

Prof Akosa, who is also a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, enumerated some of the facts that contributed to diseases as excessive sugar intake and fatty foods more so the lifespan of various countries were varied in terms of the food intake of their citizenry.

‘All beverages contain sugar, as well as cakes, soft drinks and pastries which has no nutritional value’, Prof. Akosa stressed.

In Ghana, he said, the lifespan of men is 60 years while that of women is 62 years.

The former Director-General also urged the public to take more fruits and vegetables which are loaded with micro-nutrients.

Prof Akosa said there is the need for the public to consume coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil which are nutritious.

He appealed to Ghanaians to seek early medical attention anytime they fell sick from a qualified medical facility and desist from self-medication.

Prof Akosa urged Ghanaians to take an active interest in physical exercises so as to remain healthy at all times.