Exclusive: Co-author of analysis for WHO calls on government to control the food industry rather than being subservient to it

The sugar tax has been so successful in improving people’s diets that it should be extended to cakes, biscuits and chocolate, health experts say.

The World Health Organization wants the next UK government to expand coverage of the levy to help tackle tooth decay, obesity, diabetes and other illnesses.

The plea is published in the WHO’s bulletin, which urges governments worldwide to use the reformulation of food to address the growing crisis of excess weight.

Experts from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have analysed the outcomes of two flagship government policies intended to make food healthier – the sugar tax and sugar reduction programme, which were introduced in 2018 and 2015 respectively.

The levy on the soft-drinks industry led to a 34.3% fall in total sugar sales from such products between 2015 and 2020 and many fizzy drinks containing much less.

But the sugar reduction programme only yielded a 3.5% drop over the same period in the amount of sugar used in the manufacture of the everyday foodstuffs it covered, the experts write in their analysis for the WHO.

Dr Kawther Hashem, a co-author and lecturer in public health nutrition at QMUL, said ministers should trial a sugar tax-style levy on treat foods that still have almost as much sugar as they did as 2015 despite firms being asked to cut sugar by 20% before 2020.

  • HumanPenguin@feddit.ukEnglish
    143·
    6 months ago

    I and a good number of other type one diabetics ended up in ER due to the sugar tax.

    Honestly I am not against the tax. Just feel the companies should have rebounded a little.

    Many T1ds were so used to buying coke etc when they are going low. We got hit hard by how quickly the companies adapted and started only selling the lower sugar versions.

    To the extent that the NHS will now RX small buttles of high glucose drinks. (Lemon or Berry flavoured but non fizzy) just to ensure T1ds have an easy source of sugar to prevent unsafe low blood sugar comas.

    As I say its something easy to fix now. We all just grab fruit juice. But the change and companies reactions to it. Left many of us waking up in an ambulance on the way to ER.

    If they start applying it to all products. And the companies all act the same way. Just reducing sugars without any clear branding.

    It will leave us with zero easy high sugar option that can be grabbed easily from any small village shop etc.

    • Sneezycat@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      32·
      6 months ago

      So why not just grab some sugar and water and make sugary water of whatever concentration you want if needed? Is having coke available really that important?

      • FarceOfWill@infosec.pubEnglish
        6·
        6 months ago

        The point is they reduced the sugar in coke semi secretly, they can still buy a coke it just doesn’t stop going into diabetic coma. And you find out when you’re on the way to hospital.

        • HumanPenguin@feddit.ukEnglish
          5·
          6 months ago

          Exactly rhis. We are all used to it now. But that first summer was real hot. And many got seriously in danger. Folks forget death can really happen in these situations.

          But there is a much bigger worry if this new idea is sctually implemented the same way.

          Currently we have options as fruit juice dosent follow these tule. A d still has loads of added sugar. Although some village store do not stock it. In genral we can find somthing that will work.

          If companies act the same way with evrtything cakes sweets juices etc.

          Buying a packet of sugar really is not an option in many small villages.

      • HumanPenguin@feddit.ukEnglish
        3·
        6 months ago

        Yes it is. Coke or an equivalent.

        First remember this shit his freaking fast. Especially in the summer where it littally feels like sugar is leached from your skin all day.

        Sugar and water is fine at home. Although honestly dose not mix well if the warer is not hot. But it can work.

        When you are out and about doing every day thongs. Most tiny village stores do not sell bags of sugar.

        Atm even friut juice is far from a garrentee in tiny shops. And you can have less then a few mind to handle this situation when its bad. (HOT).

        ATM. You can still get something sweet at most stores. Even if frout juice is not available. Something food wise is. Food is slower but can work. And honestly dealing with heat uou need slower acting carbs all day long.

        But if this new tax idea happens. And companies respond the way they did with sodas.

        It will mean deaths.

      • HumanPenguin@feddit.ukEnglish
        2·
        6 months ago

        Ill also share a cute story just to cheer evety one up.

        First I am hypo unaware. It is a condition that often hits long term well managed T1ds (40years in my case) where we lose the ability to tell when our sugar is low.

        At the time this sugar tax came in. Icwas goingvthrough a 3 year strugle with nice. Where my specialist was trying to grt me issued a CGM. (Continues, Glucose Monitor that warns you when going low)

        I had a girl friend at the time. Who litrally kept me alive. As over the hot summer nights she was regually required to place glucose in my mouth as I was having a fit.

        But after the glucose was in. It can take up to 10 mind for my mind to start responding sanely. Low blood sugar can look like you are very very drunk to outsiders.

        So she would be paniking and constently asking what to do while I was recovering. With me just not in a mental state to explane.

        So when fine one day she asked me wjat was best.

        So I gave her thos advice. Post the low. I genrally needvto take some slower acting carbs to prevent the heat sending me down again.

        The easiest way tovtake it is a sugery cup of tea and a few biscuits.

        Now that is only rechnically true. Pretty much anythibg with a lottle morecsugar and some slow acting carbz will work.

        But when i wake up after those night time lows. My memory is missing a chunch of s few hours (I never regain that). And things feel pretty darn stressful.

        You have no idea how relaxing a sweat cup of tea in bed and some biscuits to dunk is as your comming to from that crsp.

        While also taking the GF mind of rhe panic and giving her something to do rather then worry if I am going to die.