Sugary drinks tax hike can fight obesity crisis

Sugary drinks tax hike can fight obesity crisis
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In a landmark report, the British Medical Association has said that there should be an extra 20 per cent tax introduced on sugary drinks to tackle the obesity crisis.

In a landmark report, the British Medical Association has said that there should be an extra 20 per cent tax introduced on sugary drinks to tackle the obesity crisis.


The report estimates that the poor diets are causing around 70,000 premature deaths each year due to which the body has called for an extra money raise to be used to subsidise fresh fruit and vegetables, reported the BBC.

Further, the concern about the damaging impact of sugar on health from the state of people's teeth to type 2 diabetes and obesity has been growing rapidly.

Talking about the issue, the doctors said that a tax of at least 20 per cent would be needed to deter customers.

Dr. Shree Datta said that she thinks that it is a massive problem illustrated by the fact that obesity is creeping up.

However, it is said many foods were already taxed at 20 per cent through VAT such as soft drinks and confectionery.

Agreeing with the BMA's concern, Ian Wright, director-general of the Food and Drink Federation, said that places where additional taxes have been introduced have not proven effective at driving long-term.

He added that in recent years, calories in household foods and drinks have been gradually lowered through recipe reformulations, including sugar reductions and changes to portion sizes.
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