Obesity is not a rational choice. But there is scope for governments to get involved and improve our options.
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Articles on Sugar tax
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Australia needs a sugar tax, as part of a broader national nutrition policy, to combat the obesity crisis. And the sugar industry is getting in the way.
Tonight, Four Corners looks at the tactics Big Sugar has used to influence health policy. Here's our pick of five analysis pieces that will get you informed on the issue before the program airs.
A new study in rats adds to the evidence that artificial sweeteners may be bad for your health.
Sugar taxes fail to tackle the root of the problem -- the production and marketing of foods that cause chronic disease.
Why you might soon be paying more for your favourite sugary drink.
Too much refined sugar in your diet is not just a risk factor for obesity and diabetes, it also increases your chances of heart disease.
The sugar tax relies on creating a price difference between high- and low-sugar drinks, but this could be cancelled out by bundled offers, such as fixed-price meal deals.
A recent study was reported as saying a sugar tax would have us drinking more alcohol. But the study didn't establish this fact. The results were mixed with no evidence one thing caused another.
Governments must understand that the factors making cities convenient and productive also make their residents prone to obesity. They must confront this challenge with intelligent, focused policies.
South Africa has one last hurdle to cross before it implements a sugar tax to prevent a wide-range of obesity related non-communicable diseases.
Unhealthy food corporations use various tactics to undermine public health policies aimed at tackling the scourge of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and obesity.
The benefits of a sugar tax go beyond mere health savings when obesity rates drop. Our new research predicts wider economic benefits due to more, healthier people in work.
A recent study found Australian soft drinks had higher concentrations of glucose than US soft drinks, which had more fructose. Does this mean Australian drinks are worse for health than US drinks?
South Africa has the highest obesity levels in Africa but blaming sugar neglects the many factors at play in this complex health issue.
By tweaking the prices of foods and drinks, to make healthy options more affordable relative to the less healthy products, we can influence what people will buy.
The reality is that the move to introduce a sugar tax in South Africa is necessary because of the scourge of non-communicable diseases and obesity in the country.
Health spent a lot of time in the spotlight in 2016. Medicare was a major issue in Australia’s federal election and numerous government reviews into health were announced and reported.
The holiday season has become a jet-fuelled boost of over-indulgence on an already excessive culture of over-consumption. But there are ways to avoid it.
For more effective food policies, consult the public.
Top contributors
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Lennert Veerman is a Friend of The Conversation.Professor of Public Health, Griffith University
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Program Director, PRICELESS SA ( Priority Cost Effective Lessons in Systems Stregthening South Africa), University of the Witwatersrand
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Professor of Public Health, University of Melbourne
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Professor of Marketing, University of Birmingham
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Deputy Director, PRICELESS, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand
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PhD researcher, UCL
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Professor of Food Policy, City, University of London
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Professor, Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University
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Associate Professor, Deakin University
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Alfred Deakin Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University
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Australian Medical Doctor; Fellow in Global Health & NCDs, University of Copenhagen
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Stephen Duckett is a Friend of The Conversation.
Director, Health Program, Grattan Institute
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Professor of Public Health Nutrition, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University
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Professor, School of Public Health and Social Work; School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Queensland University of Technology
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Lecturer, Deakin University
