AS DOZENS more governments around the world adopt a sugar tax and new evidence shows this tax can improve dental health, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has renewed its call for Australia to implement a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB).
The AMA's latest report, Why tax sugary drinks? part of its #Sickly-Sweet campaign sets out why the tax is an effective preventative health measure that would reduce Australians' consumption of sugary drinks, which is associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay.
The report shows an additional 40 countries and jurisdictions globally have adopted a sugar tax since the AMA's first research report in Jun 2021 and includes a new focus on oral health.
It details how sugary drinks decay and erode teeth and highlights shocking Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing findings including a prevalence of dental caries in the baby teeth of four in 10 Aussie children.
AMA Vice President, Dr Danielle McMullen said: "Australians drink enough sugary drinks to fill 960 Olympic swimming pools each year.
"We're recommending the federal government tax 40c on every 100g of sugar manufacturers add to drinks - that will mean just a 16c increase to the price of a regular can of fizzy drink, but for that, you'll get a great health outcome.
"Over a 25-year period, we estimate this would result in 16,000 fewer cases of type 2 diabetes, 4,400 fewer cases of heart disease, and 1,100 fewer cases of stroke.
"It would also generate revenue of up to $814m annually which we say should be spent on preventative health measures.
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