Sugary Drinks Tax

Scottish doctors are calling for a 20% tax on sugary drinks to tackle the obesity crisis.

The British Medical Association Scotland estimates poor diets cause around 70, 000 premature deaths every year.

Scotland has one of the worst obesity records among OECD countries, with around 64% of adults and 29% of children at risk of overweight or obesity in 2013. The cost of obesity and related illnesses to the NHS in Scotland was estimated to be in excess of £175million in 2007/8 and this is expected to almost double by 2030.

Dr Sally Winning, Deputy Chair of BMA Scotland, said: “Doctors are increasingly concerned about the impact of poor diet on patient’s health, which is not only a significant cause of ill health and premature death, but a considerable strain on NHS resources.

“For many leading brands of sugar-sweetened drinks, around a glassfulii has been found to contain a worrying nine or more teaspoons of sugar. While these drinks are high in calories they are of limited nutritional value and, at a time when the intake of sugar by people in Scotland already far exceeds recommended levels, we are increasingly concerned about how sugary drinks contribute towards health conditions like diabetes.

“We know from experiences in other countries that taxation on unhealthy food and drinks can improve health outcomes, and the strongest evidence of effectiveness is for a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. If a tax of at least 20% is introduced, it could be expected to reduce the prevalence of obesity in the UK by around 180,000 people.”

The BMA also recommends that the price of fruit and vegetables should be subsidised, to encourage healthier dietary habits.  In 2013, only 22% of adults and 13% of children (age 2-15) met the 5 a day recommendation for fruit and vegetables.

Dr Winning added: “The price of fruit and vegetables has risen more than 30% since the start of the recession, with the majority of the population not consuming them at the recommended levels.

“Financial measures must be considered to regulate the price of healthier products, such as fruit and vegetables, through subsidies. If only 13% of children in Scotland are meeting the recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables, yet 40% of children report consuming non-diet soft drinks on a daily basis, then we need to address this imbalance, which particularly impacts on individuals and families affected by food poverty.”