DT News - UK - EU health experts demand taxation of unhealthy food

Dental Tribune International

Fri. 16 November 2012

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LONDON, UK/BERLIN, Germany: This week, a UK and a German health society have demanded the introduction of health-related food duties. In order to tackle diet-related diseases and to offset the financial public health burden of diabetes, heart disease and dental decay, other organisations across Europe have also called upon their governments for intervention recently.

On Wednesday, the National Heart Forum, a charitable alliance of 65 UK organisations working to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and related health conditions, recommended the introduction of duties on sugary soft drinks to curb consumption. In accordance with proposals from other countries such as France and Norway, the experts also suggested that the government support public health programmes or subsidise the cost of healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables.

With regard to a €700,000 promotion campaign planned by representatives of the sugar industry to improve the image of their products in Germany, the German Diabetes Association raised serious concerns about the uncontrolled consumption of sugar this week.

According to Dr Dietrich Garlichs, the association’s CEO, most people are not aware of the fact that many convenience products contain considerable amounts of sugar. On average, Germans consume 35 kg of sugar each a year and about 100 g a day, which is twice the amount recommended by nutritional experts. As a result, about 15 per cent of three- to 17-year-olds are obese and have an increased risk of developing heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes.

According to the European Food Information Council, sugars include sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose and maltose and are naturally found in fruits, vegetables and milk products. However, many manufacturers also add sugars to their products to provide sweet taste, texture and consistency to foods. Thus, sugar is found not only in chocolate, ice cream and soft drinks, but also in ketchup, ham and bread among others, Garlichs said.

“There is a growing consensus among policymakers that carefully applied food taxes are both cost-effective and justified to help tackle the spiralling costs and huge social burdens of noncommunicable diseases,” said Jane Landon, Deputy Chief Executive of the National Heart Forum.

Moreover, a review of 24 studies on taxation on unhealthy food in high-income countries published between 2000 and 2009 revealed that taxing less healthy foods could alter consumption in the expected direction. Thus, the WHO recommends the use of fiscal policy to influence food prices to encourage consumers to buy healthier products.

“Taxes are never popular but public support could be strengthened if the revenues generated are used for health-related purposes, such as health programmes or subsidising the costs of healthy foods to achieve a fiscally neutral policy,” Landon said.

The forum’s report, titled “What is the role of health-related food duties?”, can be downloaded from the organisation’s website.

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