'Sugar tax' needed to tackle the country's health and obesity crisis, report warns

  • Health
People in the UK eat too much sugar, the report warns Credit: PA

A 20 per cent 'sugar tax' should be imposed on food and drink in a bid to help tackle the country's obesity and health crisis, according to a new report by Public Health England.

The report warns that eating and drinking vast amounts of high-sugar products is leading to weight gain, tooth decay and other health problems.

The amount of sugar people eat should be cut by at least half, it adds - and, if successful, it could save the NHS around £500 million every year.

The document goes on to make a series of recommendations as to how the government could help make this happen.

These include:

  • Introduce a tax of 10 to 20 per cent on high-sugar food and drink

  • Cutting down on cut-price offers in supermarkets, convenience stores, cafés, restaurants and takeaways

  • Imposing restrictions on advertising of high-sugar food and drink

  • Clearly define what constitutes a "high-sugar food"

  • Introduce a carefully-structured and supervised programme to reduce sugar content in everyday food and drink items, combined with reductions in portion sizes

  • Restrict the public sector to provide and sell healthier foods - including in hospitals and leisure centres

  • Accredited diet and health training courses for everyone who works in the catering, fitness and leisure sectors and others within local authorities

  • Launching a public awareness campaign

The report encourages the introduction of a 'sugar tax' Credit: PA

Currently, the report states, sugar intake across the board is above recommended levels - making up between 12 and 15 per cent of dietary energy.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) said this should be around five percent.

Over-consumption in England has led to a quarter of adults, 10% of four- and five-year-olds and 19% of 10- to 11-year-olds being classed as clinically obese, it says - which comes with health consequences which cost the NHS £5.1 billion a year to treat.

Researchers found that high levels of advertising regularly bombard people - particularly children - encouraging them to buy sugary treats, while high-sugar foods are on price promotion deals more often than any other food type.

Families, individuals and official organisations all have a role to play in helping tackle the problem, the report adds.