A "sugar tax" should be introduced by the UK government to help curb obesity in childhood, a campaign group says. Action on Sugar has produced a seven-point plan to discourage children from consuming foods and soft drinks with high levels of added sugar. The group wants measures brought in to cut added sugar in food by 40% by 2020.
Action on Sugar is a group of specialists concerned with sugar and its effects on health. It says one in five 10 to 11-year-olds in the UK are now obese, while one in three are overweight. The group has produced an action plan for the government following a request for its views from Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
The seven proposed measures are:
Reduce added sugars in food by 40% by 2020
Ban all forms of targeted marketing of ultra-processed, unhealthy foods and drinks to children
Disassociate physical activity with obesity by banning junk food sports sponsorships
Reduce fat by 15% in ultra-processed foods by 2020
Limit the availability of ultra-processed foods and sweetened soft drinks as well as reducing portion sizes
Introduce a sugar tax to incentivise healthier food