The health reasons for the new sugar tax

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In a paper titled the “Cost of inaction on sugar-sweetened beverage consumption: implications for obesity in South Africa” researchers estimated that the growth in consumption of sugary drinks could lead to an additional 1.3-million obese adults by 2017.

Here are the facts about sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and obesity:

How are SSBs different to other sugars?

• Liquid sugar is particularly harmful
• Liquid sugar is absorbed in 30 minutes causing a spike in blood sugar
• These spikes lead to sugar changing into fat in the liver and contributing to the development of diabetes and heart disease
• Calories from SSBs do not leave one feeling full unlike calories from food or milk
• SSBs add to calories consumed
• SSBs have no nutritional value

More people suffer from obesity in South Africa than anywhere else in sub-Saharan Africa. South Africans consume between 12 and 24 teaspoons of sugar per day – four to eight teaspoons are from SSBs.

Sugar content of SSBs

• Average amount of sugar in a single 330ml carbonated beverage = 8 teaspoons
• Average amount of sugar in a single 330ml fruit juice = 9 teaspoons
• WHO guidelines suggests a total limit of 6 teaspoons of sugar/day

Harmful effects of SSBs

• Drinking just one SSB a day increases an adult’s likelihood of being overweight by 27%
• Drinking just one SSB a day increases a child’s likelihood of being overweight by 55%
• Drinking one or two SSBs a day increases the risk of developing type II diabetes by 25%
• People who consume one SSB per day are 30% more likely to die from a heart attack
• Drinking SSBs daily for just two weeks increases blood fat levels by 20%
• After six months, daily consumption of SSBs doubles the fat deposits in the liver and contributes to diabetes and heart disease

Obesity and disease

• Overweight and obesity increase by four to eight times the risk for diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and cancer
• Obesity-related diseases are among the top 10 causes of death – this prevalence is only rivalled by HIV/AIDS

Other countries such as Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico and Norway, have levied taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages.