Health experts call for sugar tax on soft drink

Peter Michael The Courier-Mail January 09, 2014 12:00AM
HEALTH experts say high-sugar drinks must be hit with a “sugar tax” to stem the nation’s obesity pandemic.
Three of Australia’s biggest health groups are behind calls for the hip-pocket hit to reduce our expanding waistlines, with more than two in three Australians
overweight or obese.
Diabetes Australia, Cancer Council and the Heart Foundation want sugar-sweetened drinks such as soft drink, sports drinks, fruit juice and flavoured milk to be taxed
and regulated in the same manner as tobacco and alcohol.
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It would follow the lead of Mexico – the world’s fattest country – which has imposed a 10 per cent “soda” tax.
Public health advocates, doctors and researchers believe such a tax could save millions of dollars in medical costs. They say reducing sugar consumption can help avert
millions of cases of obesity-related illness in the next decade.
“This is not some simplistic notion of a food nanny or diet gurus,” Diabetes Australia chief executive Greg Johnson, said.
“Sugar tax is not quite the right phrase but, if we look at sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, we are in the top end of consumption in the world, and it makes sense
to tax and regulate their promotion and marketing.
“They are not part of a balanced diet. They are cheap, incredibly well marketed, available everywhere and radically overconsumed.”
There are about 16 packs of sugar in one 600ml can of regular soft drink, while consuming one can a day could lead to a 6.75kg weight gain in a year.
Sugar Australia, the Australian Beverage Council, and the Australian Food and Grocery Council warn such a tax risks “demonising” food and drink.
“It didn’t work a decade ago with ‘avoid fat’ and won’t work now with ‘tax sugar’,” Beverage Council chief executive Geoff Parker said.
Three of the top four best-selling soft drinks were zero sugar or low kilojoule, he said.
“This clearly points out such a tax would be misguided.”
Sugar Australia nutritionist Dr Mary Harrington said there was limited evidence to show a fiscal measure, such as a sugar tax, could reduce obesity.
An AFGC spokesman said the “last thing Australian families need is another tax on their supermarket trolley goods”.
People eat 20 per cent more sugar than in the 1960s as well as more fat and salt, statistics from the World Health Organisation show.
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