Is taxing sugary drinks the answer to tackling obesity?
For those of us who have a sugary drink habit, the British Medical Association has suggested that we dig a little deeper in our pockets for the sake of our health. They've strongly recommended that a 20% tax be levied against these beverages and they have certainly gone to some lengths to back this request up.
Sugar = Unhealthy?
Okay, in terms of sugar being the cause of all obesity, perhaps that is a little strong but the British Medical Association have their collective eyes on the British waistline and the news is pretty grim. According to their research, 30% of the UK will be obese by 2030 and that isn't too far away. They blame the sheer volume of sugar that we consume as the chief culprit and also our lack of awareness is key to this not too distant epidemic. Fizzy and still sugary drinks are packed with sugar and calories and by increasing the price tag by 20%, they are confident that this will make potential buyers think twice about the purchase.
Children and Water
The BBC has recently highlighted the issue of children and obesity and the message is very clear – replace sugary drinks with water! Essentially, sugary drinks represent nothing but empty calories and although they are not calling for an outright ban on these products, they suggest common sense should be used as a yardstick. According to sources, we should be aiming for about 11% of our total daily calories to be supplied by sugary foods. Children's daily intake needs to be monitored even more closely than adults because the dangers of developing diabetes and obesity at a young age is a real issue. Apparently milk is still okay in moderation but water is the king as far as hydration is concerned.
At WaterCoolersDirect.com we work together with schools and colleges all over the UK to help our children remain hydrated. Read more on our Healthy Hydration in Schools campaign here.
Water, water everywhere
So it seems rather obvious that now is time to look a lot closer at our own drinking habits as far as hydration is concerned and when you consider that safe water is accessible in this country, it's a no brainer. If you are concerned about plastic bottles and your personal carbon footprint, why not opt for a plumbed in water cooler that connects directly to the mains water supply for your workplace or a home water cooler? Our health is the most important thing we have and why risk it just for the sake of a few cans of pop?
To read more on proposed changes from the British Medical Association click here.
Sugar = Unhealthy?
Okay, in terms of sugar being the cause of all obesity, perhaps that is a little strong but the British Medical Association have their collective eyes on the British waistline and the news is pretty grim. According to their research, 30% of the UK will be obese by 2030 and that isn't too far away. They blame the sheer volume of sugar that we consume as the chief culprit and also our lack of awareness is key to this not too distant epidemic. Fizzy and still sugary drinks are packed with sugar and calories and by increasing the price tag by 20%, they are confident that this will make potential buyers think twice about the purchase.
Children and Water
The BBC has recently highlighted the issue of children and obesity and the message is very clear – replace sugary drinks with water! Essentially, sugary drinks represent nothing but empty calories and although they are not calling for an outright ban on these products, they suggest common sense should be used as a yardstick. According to sources, we should be aiming for about 11% of our total daily calories to be supplied by sugary foods. Children's daily intake needs to be monitored even more closely than adults because the dangers of developing diabetes and obesity at a young age is a real issue. Apparently milk is still okay in moderation but water is the king as far as hydration is concerned.
At WaterCoolersDirect.com we work together with schools and colleges all over the UK to help our children remain hydrated. Read more on our Healthy Hydration in Schools campaign here.
Water, water everywhere
So it seems rather obvious that now is time to look a lot closer at our own drinking habits as far as hydration is concerned and when you consider that safe water is accessible in this country, it's a no brainer. If you are concerned about plastic bottles and your personal carbon footprint, why not opt for a plumbed in water cooler that connects directly to the mains water supply for your workplace or a home water cooler? Our health is the most important thing we have and why risk it just for the sake of a few cans of pop?
To read more on proposed changes from the British Medical Association click here.