Levy on soft drinks would help to reduce diabetes epidemic

A levy on sugary drinks would help to reduce our diabetes epidemic, Progressive Wigram MP Jim Anderton says.

New research shows New Zealand has some of the highest rates of diabetes in the world - and the problem is fast getting worse.

Last week Jim Anderton called for a levy on sugary drinks to help pay for bringing dental care into our free public health system.

"A levy would not just help to pay for dental care, it would help to reduce our diabetes epidemic too," Jim Anderton said.

"Without a levy everyone has to pay more tax to the health system to help pay for diabetes treatment. A levy on sugary soft drinks would reduce the problem of diabetes - a little prevention is a better alternative than a lot of costly treatment after the damage has been done."

A study published in the Lancet medical journal found the number of people worldwide with diabetes has doubled since 1980, with about 30 per cent of the increase caused by an increase in obesity.

Among high-income countries, New Zealand has the fourth-highest rate of diabetes.

“We have a diabetes problem. We have an oral health problem. And we could have a levy on sugary drinks as a simple answer to help reduce both problems."

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