BBC & the sugar report

I agree I don't think a tax would stop people eating or drinking the sugary stuff Something drastic needs to be done to stop the food industry adding so much sugar to everything Making them use much less sugar is the only way to stop people having it and especially reducing it in the things children eat and drink the most

You can impose limits but it won't stop them putting prices up to compensate for their loss of easy profit. Reduce sugar production, but you would have to provide alternative livelihoods to those in the developing world who depend on it.

This is a long-haul culture change issue which needs more positive education.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-28022948 - there's a start.

Taking on the food industry will be a tad harder than the tobacco industry I suspect.

Another stealth tax by the Gov't whilst attempting to look as if they care about the Nation's health. Clobber the food manufacturers, not the punters !!

In a round about way, the food industry will be hit because the consumer will buy less of it or make what they do buy, last longer because of it costing more and supermarkets wont be ordering so often

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I'm hoping it might discourage children from spending their pocket money on coke and energy drinks. My friend's kitchen window overlooks the local shop and we have been horrified at the regularity with which we see young kids, some still in primary coming out guzzling energy drinks. The cheapest can costs just 35p. While I do believe education and personal choice SHOULD be the answer, it doesn't seem to be working so far. I saw these drinks as poison long before I was diagnosed with diabetes and had a long standing battle with my son as he went through his teenage years as he bought them at every opportunity. He may not have completely abstained if they had been more expensive, but he wouldn't have been able to buy several cans of energy drink at a time. He's 20 now and despite a good home cooked diet through his childhood, with lots of wholegrains, salad and vegetables, he has just been diagnosed with high blood pressure (he was just a couple of digits away from being turned away from the local gym to get a doctor's letter) While there is no evidence the sugary drinks he consumed are to blame, I'm suspicious and so is he. Thankfully, the scare has prompted him to cut them out completely and take his diet in hand, although he may have to start medication anyway. Just from what I observed of him and his friends, I'm concerned that his generation is a ticking time bomb and that they may not live as long as their grandparents.

And why the extra sugar, because when they took out all the fat, the food tastes rubbish! But fat of course is NOT bad for you (unless trans fat - margerine etc). Well I guess if you ate a bucket of lard you might feel a bit iffy.

gfmoore said:

And why the extra sugar, because when they took out all the fat, the food tastes rubbish! But fat of course is NOT bad for you (unless trans fat - margerine etc). Well I guess if you ate a bucket of lard you might feel a bit iffy.

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But of course the government will try to put a a tax on healthy fats as well!
I hear they're puttin a tax on sex as well , but with rebates for single , teenage mums & asylum seekers (Heard it in "The Daily Fail"

nosher8355 said:

It's easier to raise prices! The millions in this country, who cannot afford to feed themselves properly are going to be the ones who will suffer again!

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And there lies the problem.

Why are doctors telling parents to give their children semi skimmed milk to drink .Whole milk would make them feel fuller so they wouldn't need to eat so much junk. Rant over
CAROL

I doubt a tax will really stop people buying sugary foods. Sugar and carbs are almost an addiction so I think it is more likely that people will stint on the healthy foods, the fruit and veg, so that they can feed the addiction.

Until a few weeks back the price of chocolate did not really matter, I was, and still am, addicted to it, I am just limiting it now and allowing myself a few pieces of Green and Black's Maya Gold a day, but I know if some one handed me a kg bar of dairy milk it would probably vanish before I realised what I was doing. Fortunately my OH is being helpful and not letting me raid the cupboard for what is still in there after my wake up call. I hate the thought of throwing things out if it is still good, even if it isn't good for me.

I think better education is the way to go. For so long now everything you hear is FAT is bad, so now in the shops, there are sooooo many low or zero fat products. I went in my local mini convience (sp) store recently looking for some Lilt Zero, their selection of sugarfree drinks was minimal, I walked out with nothing. But back to education.....I was watching a dentist program on tv earlier this week I think and there were LOADS of very young children having their teeth extracted as they were ruined, what had the parents been giving them? Loads of fizzy sugary drinks? Chocolate? No they had been giving them 'HEALTHY' fruit and fruit juice, not reailising this was just as dmaging. They thought they were being healthy.

Education is what is needed with some proper up to date research. None of this healthy eating plate and starchy carbs nonsense. All the governments information is I believe based on old 70's research. We need more relevant studies, Now!

This is all my opinion and I may well be wrong on somethings.

Well you only have to look at how heavily they have taxed cigarettes over the years, yet people still smoke and this despite the grim health warnings on cigarette packaging and media coverage..

Lenny3 said:

I think better education is the way to go. For so long now everything you hear is FAT is bad, so now in the shops, there are sooooo many low or zero fat products. I went in my local mini convience (sp) store recently looking for some Lilt Zero, their selection of sugarfree drinks was minimal, I walked out with nothing. But back to education.....I was watching a dentist program on tv earlier this week I think and there were LOADS of very young children having their teeth extracted as they were ruined, what had the parents been giving them? Loads of fizzy sugary drinks? Chocolate? No they had been giving them 'HEALTHY' fruit and fruit juice, not reailising this was just as dmaging. They thought they were being healthy.

Education is what is needed with some proper up to date research. None of this healthy eating plate and starchy carbs nonsense. All the governments information is I believe based on old 70's research. We need more relevant studies, Now!

This is all my opinion and I may well be wrong on somethings.

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Actually the research is fine, not always that old and some is over a long time (a longitudinal study).

The issue is the interpretation.

There are huge vested powers who make a lot of money from high carb low fat and they aren't going to own up and admit they were wrong and lose their cash cow. Can you imagine the law suits in the US! There are scientists and their research grants, the food producers, the doctors and health industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the politicians who get "sponsored"...and on and on.

It's like when the Catholic church (well I suppose the only church at that time) refused to admit that Galileo might be on to something when he said that the Earth actually moves!

History is full of resistance to new ideas, or even old ones. This is no different.

nosher8355 said:

I know the answer!

Lower the price of non sugar healthy food, as approved by diabetic specialists!

The government should impose a subsidy to those food manufacturers who lower their sugar content!

Do you think any body will go for it?

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I would even set up a petition for it on gov website!!!



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Having now read "the big fat surprise book" I think its going to be another 50 years of **** carb pushing by the US and UK Govts before they will change their ideas.. Just because otherwise the US govt will havethe pants sued off them for bad advice.




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