The proposed tax on sweetened drinks will help improve public health despite overwrought opposition from industry.
THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT’S decision to tax sugary drinks to help cut excess sugar consumption, which is contributing to burgeoning epidemics of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, follows the lead of Mexico and the US city of Berkeley, where a “soda tax” on sugar sweetened beverages has shown positive results.
In Mexico, research predicts a win-win outcome: it may greatly decrease disease and death from diabetes and cardiovascular disease while reducing health care costs.
What can be expected in South Africa is overwrought and highly emotive opposition from the sugary drink industry.
Coca-Cola Beverages Africa chairman Phil Gutsche denounces the sugar tax as murderous and discriminatory.
This opposition to an effective measure to protect and improve the public’s health occurs in the context of a sevendecade battle between public health (David) and unhealthy industries (Goliaths). During that time the tobacco, junk food, sugar-sweetened beverage and alcohol industries have become the drivers of the major non-communicable diseases (cancers, lung disease, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases) that now dominate the global health landscape.
The junk food, sugary drink and alcohol industries claim to be part of the solution. The solution requires them to help improve their consumers’ health by decreasing advertising to children, reducing levels of salt, fat and sugar in their products, and labelling food honestly and clearly. These are all measures they are convinced are in conflict with their responsibility to make money for their shareholders.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2016-Ausgabe von Noseweek.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2016-Ausgabe von Noseweek.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Lennie The Liquidator Faces R500,000 Defamation Suit
After losing his cool when his fees were questioned
Panel Beater De Luxe
Danmar Autobody and its erstwhile directors get a serious panel beating in court papers. Corruption and theft are said to have destroyed the firm chaired by Nelson Mandela’s eldest daughter, leaving 200 workers destitute and threatening to kill.
Never Take A Hypochondriac To A Pandemic
From Ronald Wohlman’s New York Corona Diary
‘He's no pharmaceutical genius, he's a vulture'
Pharma con seeks prison release to ‘help find Covid cure’
On the light side
The life of a newspaper (or in this case) magazine columnist is not an easy one, particularly for one’s state of mind.
George mayor's War on Waste raked in illicit profits for pals
DA initiates probe which reveals host of transgressions in Eastern Cape municipality – which NPA has ignored
Sound The Alarm On Roundup's Cancer Risks
To powers that be of our esteemed Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development I must ask: with all the nonstop re-configuration of how to deal with this enormous “land restitution” challenge, can you take a moment to communicate the threat posed by the widely used and popular herbicide Roundup?
Beetlejuice, Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse
Not rocket science
Coins for the car guard
Piet struts the streets Of Germiston barefoot and with his shirt open, except for one button near the bottom which he closes up lopsided.
All the president's men
Former SARS chief to confront Pravin Gordhan about efforts to derail probe