A Sugar Tax on Soda Drinks in the UK

A sugar tax on soft drinks would help stop 3.7 million British people from becoming obese in ten years.

This information might get the Government to make a tax as part of its plan to stop obesity.

But ministers are now planning on waiting. They are thinking about giving the drink industry one final chance to decrease sugar without the government making them do it.

A report by Cancer Research UK and the UK Health Forum calculates that a 20 per cent tax on soda drinks would decrease obesity by 15 per cent.

It would also save the Government about £10million in health care costs because of sicknesses from obesity.

About 25% of adults are obese but this may rise to 33% by 2025. But this report calculates that with a sugar tax it will only increase to 29 per cent.

Government ministers should be publishing their Childhood Obesity plan soon but they keep waiting. This is because they are worried they will be criticized.

Jamie Oliver, the TV chef, has promised to get very angry with the Government if it isn’t strict enough. He wants to get agreement from big health charities and medical organizations.

Since they became government in 2010 they have been criticized for being too soft on junk food firms because they allow them to make their own rules.

Alison Cox, Cancer Research UK’s director of cancer prevention, said: ‘The ripple effect of a small tax on sugary drinks is enormous.

These numbers make it obvious that we need to do something now before obesity becomes an even bigger problem.

‘There are a lot of things working/making it hard. Things that make it harder to make healthier choices.

We’re all bombarded by junk food advertising of cheap foods packed with many calories.  And it can be difficult for parents to do what’s best for their children.

The Government has a chance to help reduce the amount of sugar eaten by adults and children.  And it is a chance to give future children the best chance for a healthier life.

This week some warned that some coffee shop drinks contain 20 teaspoons of sugar.

This is three times the recommended daily amount and twice the amount in a can of coke.

Jane Landon, UK Health Forum’s deputy chief executive, said: ‘Countries which have started a tax on sugary drinks have not only reduced drinking of these drinks but they have increased much-needed money for public health .

These numbers indicate that even a small tax at 20 per cent – as part of a response - could help to deliver the change needed to stop the increase of the UK’s problem of obesity diseases.

Being overweight or obese causes 17,000 cancers a year in the UK – 5 per cent – but the real amount may be bigger.

Researchers say too much fat increases the risk of getting cancer and then dying from it.

But government ministers are reluctant to make a sugar tax as they worry it will be unpopular with the public and be too bureaucratic to collect.

Studies have also shown it may be less helpful at controlling obesity than other ways such as decreasing food sizes and reducing sugar from products

Ministers are keen to give the food and drinks industry one final chance to make their products healthier and smaller.

A Department of Health spokesman said: ‘It is a big surprise that one in three children are leaving elementary school overweight or obese.

‘We want to make the healthy choice the easy choice- and our childhood obesity plan will look at everything, including sugar, that causes a child to become overweight and obese.

‘It will also set out what more can be done by everyone.’

Try to guess the meaning of the words in bold and match them with their closest meaning from the choices in the right. Some of the answers are very close and have similar meaning. The meaning of these words is how they are used in the reading. Some of these words have different meanings in the dictionary depending on how they are used.

 The answers are below the table.

A=3, B=1, C=9, D=6, E=2, F=8, G=4, H=7, I=5

Some example sentences using the new words or phrases from the meaning of how they are used in the reading to help you understand better.

1. Texas is the most obese place in the U.S.A. In Texas 40% of people are twice the normal body weight.

2. My teacher was too soft on the bad boys so our class was too noisy.

3. The government reduced the tax which had a good ripple effect because more people had more money to spend.

4. This ship is enormous, the biggest to ever be made.

5. Our professor bombarded us with 3 assignments in one week.

6. She did not indicate that she would stop our relationship, so it was a big surprise when it happened.

7. I am reluctant to visit that place because I heard the weather will be bad this time of year.

8. China has a big bureaucracy, so it is hard to get government documents done.

9. I set out to learn Korean in one year.

    

    

Some questions using the new words/phrases. Try to use the words/phrases in your answer.

1. Is obesity a problem in your country? Why?

2. Why has the government been too soft on soda drink companies?

3. Describe the ripple effect of fast food chains in your country?

4. Why is obesity or overweight an enormous problem in the future? What things will it effect?

5. Do you feel we are bombarded with advertising for bad food? Are we bombarded with pictures of sexy beautiful people too?

6. What big problems does this reading indicate?

7. If your friend was getting fat, would you be reluctant to tell them? Why or why not?

8. Is the government in your country bureaucratic? Why do you think so?

9. Why do most people who set out to loose weight fail?