New research published today in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health reveals that daily sugar intake for children in the UK fell by approximately 4.8g, and for adults by 10.9g, in the year following the introduction of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy—commonly known as the ‘sugar tax.’ The findings have prompted calls from the study’s authors to extend the levy to other types of food and drink.
Food Active’s Policy and Advocacy Manager, Beth Bradshaw, responded to the findings:
“Today’s timely evidence shows that the amount of sugar consumed by children from soft drinks halved within a year of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy being implemented. This adds to the growing body of evidence that the levy is an effective population-level intervention to reduce sugar intake and improve public health.
Extending the levy to other food and drink categories presents a valuable opportunity for the newly formed government to build on its success. Doing so could lead to further improvements in the nation’s diet and help address the growing burden of diet-related illnesses across the country.”
The full paper can be accessed here.
To find out more about Food Active’s policy calls, click here.
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