Colombo, Feb 05-  Sri Lanka has witnessed a significant spike in paediatric cancer cases over the years, raising concerns over haphazard lifestyle practices.

This was revealed by Dr. Deepal Perera, a Paediatrician at Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital in Colombo.

“The annual number of reported cases has doubled, escalating from 450 to a staggering 900, raising concerns within the healthcare community,” he pointed out.

Speaking to Daily Mirror, Dr. Perera attributed this concerning surge to the growing prevalence of sedentary lifestyles among children, notably pointing out the increasing addiction to mobile phones as a contributing factor.

He underscored the link between this lifestyle trend and the rise in non-communicable diseases, with leukaemia and brain cancer notably on the rise among the younger population.

The Paediatrician emphasized the critical role of lifestyle choices in disease prevention, urging parents to restrict their children's consumption of sweet drinks and snacks.

Besides, Dr. Perera advocated for breastfeeding as a fundamental preventive measure against paediatric cancers, recommending a two-year breastfeeding duration.