Foods that increase obesity, diabetes risk like sugar should be taxed: IDF

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Experts from the International Diabetes Federation or IDF have asked G20 leaders to include talks on placing sugar taxes. They believe that such a move would help save lives by reducing obesity numbers.

In a report by Reuters, the IDF wants world leaders to see obesity and diabetes as topics in the same magnitude as financial issues. IDF data shows that more people die from diabetes than HIV, malaria and tuberculosis combined.

According to a press release on Benzinga, the group is calling on governments to implement fiscal policies that would help discourage people from consuming sugar-rich and unhealthy foods. The revenues collected from these taxes could then be used to help prevent Type 2 diabetes and provide health care for the diabetic and those at risk.

Benzinga says Type 2 diabetes accounts for almost 90 percent of cases while Reuters states that China currently has the most number of diabetics in the world. The International Diabetes Federation has additional statistics published on the 7^th edition of the IDF Diabetes Atlas.

In the press release, Dr. Petra Wilson, CEO for the IDF emphasized the importance of talking about obesity and diabetes stating, "If we cannot take steps to prevent type 2 diabetes and improve management of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, we risk not only the health of people but also economies and the livelihood of future generations. A co-operative response from the G20 governments, which has been key in reacting to the global financial crisis, is also essential to improving health outcomes for people with diabetes".

Not all people are supportive of the idea of placing taxes on sugary foods. Guardian data editor Alberto Nardelli is doubtful about the positive effects of sin taxes.

Although half of the population in Britain supports the idea of putting taxes on sugary foods, data editor Alberto Nardelli says that in various parts of the globe, taxing unhealthy foods has not been effective.

In 2011, the Danish government placed a tax on foods rich in saturated fats including bacon and butter. A year later, the government had to remove the tax as it had affected the prices of basic commodities, forcing people to go over the border to Germany to buy food.

Wilson recommends adopting the same approach governments have done when it came to tobacco. However, she also acknowledges that taxing sugar will not be as easy as taxing products containing nicotine.

"It is, of course, more difficult with sugar because whilst people can live entirely without tobacco, they can't live entirely without sugar—but humans can live without added sugars."