Sugary drinks tax could
help tackle childhood obesity
Date of
article: 01-Nov-13
Article
By: Julia Corbett, News Editor
A study
published in the British Medical Journal has claimed a 20 per cent tax on
sugary drinks could help target and tackle obesity in young people.
The
Children’s Food Trust has welcomed the call but highlighted the need for
childcare providers and parents to install good habits in children early in
their lives to prevent childhood obesity.
The
charity’s nutritionist, Dr Patricia Mucavele, said: “Successive governments
have shown they’re willing to take on and beat the tobacco companies, and to
start tackling the nation’s alcohol problem.
“But as a
country, our sugar habit is out of control and we’re passing this on to our
children.
“Parents,
childcare providers and schools have a huge role to play in getting kids into
good habits on sugar early on, but for the sake of children’s health - and that
of the public purse - we look forward to a day when government adopts an
effective range of taxation, legislation, education and other integrated
measures on this.
“A
ring-fenced tax on sugary soft drinks would be a welcome step.”
In the
study it was claimed taxation on sugary drinks could reduce the number of obese
adults in the UK by 180,000 with the greatest impact seen in young people.
However
the British Sugary Drinks Association has criticised the call and claimed the
impact would not be as effective as claimed in the British Medical Journal.
Gavin
Partington, BSDA director general, said: “There’s ample evidence to suggest
that taxing soft drinks won’t curb obesity, not least because its causes are
far more complex than this simplistic approach implies. Indeed the latest
official guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
points to the need to look at overall diet and lifestyle. Trying to blame one
set of products is misguided, particularly when they comprise a mere 2% of
calories in the average diet.”
Read more
about the risks of sugary diets here www.daynurseries.co.uk/news/article.cfm/id/1559702/the-oral-health-of-infants-is-at-risk-from-a-diet-high-in-sugar
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