British doctors are urging the government to impose a 20% tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in an effort to combat obesity. Available funds from the tax would go towards subsidies to promote fruit and vegetable consumption.
They have also asked for restrictions in the advertising of unhealthy foods aimed at children, as revealed by a report of the Medical Association of the UK, cited by The Guardian.
"Physicians are increasingly worried about the consequences of poor nutrition, which is responsible for about 70,000 deaths per year and takes much of the budget of the National Health Service, costing 6 billion pounds a year," said the chairman of the scientific board of the association, Sheila Hollins.
The introduction of a 20% tax on junk food and drinks could improve health and reduce obesity in the UK by at least 180,000 people, argues Sheila Hollins, explaining that the majority of residents of the UK, especially in low-income households, do not eat enough fruits and vegetables, so subsidies should be taken into consideration to reduce their prices, which have increased by 30% since 2008."
