Will a Sugar Tax Curb Rising Levels of Type Two Diabetes?

[Northerner]

Chris Askew
Chief Executive of Diabetes UK

Calls for the Government to introduce a 20% tax on sugar sweetened soft drinks are getting stronger and stronger.

Just last month Public Health England (PHE), the Government's own agency tasked with protecting the nation's health, called for a sugar tax in it's much publicised Sugar Reduction report and now the highly influential Health Select Committee has urged the Government to introduce the tax in its report on childhood obesity.

The tax also has the support of celebrated TV chef Jamie Oliver, who has attracted widespread media coverage for his campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of having too many sugary foods and drinks.

The fact that calls for a sugar tax are getting more traction is good news as it has shone a spotlight on the fact that we are all consuming too many sugary foods and drinks, which is damaging to our health. Currently, the average intake of 'added sugars' across all age groups exceeds the recommended maximum amount of 5% of total daily energy intake.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/chris-askew/sugar-tax-diabetes_b_8664386.html

"it's important that the tax is introduced in a way that doesn't adversely affect people living with Type 1 diabetes who may rely on high-sugar products to treat low blood glucose levels."

And Type 2 on certain medications or insulin 🙂 I'd like to know how they would introduce the tax such that we wouldn't be adversely affected! 🙂

 

[AlisonM]

"it's important that the tax is introduced in a way that doesn't adversely affect people living with Type 1 diabetes who may rely on high-sugar products to treat low blood glucose levels."

So, does that mean we'll get our jelly babies on prescription then.

 

[Northerner]

"it's important that the tax is introduced in a way that doesn't adversely affect people living with Type 1 diabetes who may rely on high-sugar products to treat low blood glucose levels."

So, does that mean we'll get our jelly babies on prescription then.

We'll probably have to get a tattoo on the forehead so that shopkeepers will know we are exempt 😱 🙂 Just had a thought actually - we'll probably have to claim the tax back, and according to how much we claim they'll be able to suss out how many hypos we have and be horrified! 😱 😉

 

[AlisonM]

Or put us in counselling for our jelly baby addiction.🙄

Once again I say, this wheeze won't work. It's a simplistic solution to a complex problem and ignores at least one of the major factors, that of hidden sugars lurking in so many processed foods and in ready meals. Just as it's easier to blame fat folk for being greedy and Type 2s for 'doing it to themselves', makes much better sound bytes than the truth.

 

[trophywench]

Pete was in hospital overnight, when visiting this afternoon the chap in the bed opposite - mid 30's? looked err, cuddly - had two ladies visiting. One looked about early 20's and was vast, the other was maybe his age maybe older, well overweight but not as obese as the other. 3 of the 380ml bottles of various pop were in evidence and being swigged by all.

Anyway visiting finished at 4pm and I stayed, we were actually waiting for Pete to be discharged, and they said I may as well just wait until they'd done what they needed to, save me coming home and coming back again in another hour ......

So he reaches in his locker and pulls out something wrapped in foil. It was a pack of sandwiches, white bread, cut corner to corner, the halves on top of one another - looked like 5 or 6 slices, each of the bread slices was at least an inch apart from the other, at first glance. My God! then he parted them and took the top one - there were only two halves, but made with 3 slices of bread! ie bread, an inch of filling, bread, another inch, bread. It looked like either pulled pork or shredded roast beef so probably his Sunday dinner - I mean - it actually looked bloomin lovely - but he struggled to get it in his gob and I'd not have managed it.

He polished the lot off.

Now - I really really really wonder why on earth that family may have appeared as overweight as they did .....................

 

[KookyCat]

Oh for goodness sake. I do wish they'd stop assuming that people on a low income are stupid. A tax on anything only really affects those with limited funds after all. I confess it's tempting to assume that the woman on the bus who gives her tot a 500ml bottle of Coke is stupid but I'm quite sure she's not, she's doing her best and probably confused by the low fat nonsense that has been chucked at her her whole life. She's no more stupid than the obviously middle class woman giving her tot a bottle of juice and two satsumas for breakfast, it just looks better. Why don't we just tell people that high sugar items in large quantities are not a good idea, then tell them why. Then explain the concept of low GL food and show them how to eat treats that have less impact on them. Here's the rub, if they are going to take notice they will, if they're not going to they won't. A tax is never a good idea unless we understand the alternatives. Plus I'm assuming a sugar tax won't have much impact on my areas favourite treat, the pie barm, yes a lovely giant sized barm buttered with a pie nestled in between. Or our extreme dedication to Gregs (or any other equivalent chain if there are any), or the delectable pudding chips and peas with gravy. We're a savoury bunch in this neck of the woods, not much for the cakes and sweets, we're all about the pastry. That's OK though, because there's no sugar in them. So like the lady said to her tot on Saturday, "no you can't have a bag of sweets, I'll get you a sausage roll instead". Alls well then, he didn't get the small bag of haribo he was after, but he did get a sausage roll as long as his arm, covered in delightful fatty puff pastry, more salt than the Pacific, and meat from something that's legally classed as an animal.