Do sweetened drinks deserve a higher tax?

The WHO found those with a high intake of sugar-sweetened drinks were 50% to 60% more likely to be obese.

THE debate about whether tax should be increased on sugar-sweetened drinks hit the headlines again in the run-up to last week’s budget. This is a contentious issue and raises a number of key discussion points.

Firstly, we need to critically evaluate the science in this area and determine whether the adverse health effects attributed to sugar-sweetened drinks are backed up by strong evidence. While there are some studies which have failed to link high intake of sugary drinks with an increased risk of obesity, there are many more which have shown an association. Most notable among these are two studies published this year, one commissioned by the WHO and one conducted by researchers from Stanford University and UCLA.