Exclusive: Co-author of analysis for WHO calls on government to control the food industry rather than being subservient to it

The sugar tax has been so successful in improving people’s diets that it should be extended to cakes, biscuits and chocolate, health experts say.

The World Health Organization wants the next UK government to expand coverage of the levy to help tackle tooth decay, obesity, diabetes and other illnesses.

The plea is published in the WHO’s bulletin, which urges governments worldwide to use the reformulation of food to address the growing crisis of excess weight.

Experts from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have analysed the outcomes of two flagship government policies intended to make food healthier – the sugar tax and sugar reduction programme, which were introduced in 2018 and 2015 respectively.

The levy on the soft-drinks industry led to a 34.3% fall in total sugar sales from such products between 2015 and 2020 and many fizzy drinks containing much less.

But the sugar reduction programme only yielded a 3.5% drop over the same period in the amount of sugar used in the manufacture of the everyday foodstuffs it covered, the experts write in their analysis for the WHO.

Dr Kawther Hashem, a co-author and lecturer in public health nutrition at QMUL, said ministers should trial a sugar tax-style levy on treat foods that still have almost as much sugar as they did as 2015 despite firms being asked to cut sugar by 20% before 2020.

  • HumanPenguin@feddit.ukEnglish
    0·
    6 months ago

    Yes it is. Coke or an equivalent.

    First remember this shit his freaking fast. Especially in the summer where it littally feels like sugar is leached from your skin all day.

    Sugar and water is fine at home. Although honestly dose not mix well if the warer is not hot. But it can work.

    When you are out and about doing every day thongs. Most tiny village stores do not sell bags of sugar.

    Atm even friut juice is far from a garrentee in tiny shops. And you can have less then a few mind to handle this situation when its bad. (HOT).

    ATM. You can still get something sweet at most stores. Even if frout juice is not available. Something food wise is. Food is slower but can work. And honestly dealing with heat uou need slower acting carbs all day long.

    But if this new tax idea happens. And companies respond the way they did with sodas.

    It will mean deaths.