Nourish

This past week, an article in the New England Journal of Medicine presented evidence in favor of the benefits of a national soda tax. According to researchers, a tax of 1 cent per ounce of soda could have some dramatic effects on the health of the nation while supplying a much-needed revenue stream for health programs. In the first year alone, $14.9 billion could be raised from this tax, which could be used for such things like childhood nutrition and obesity prevention programs. The tax would not include beverages sweetened with non-caloric sweeteners (diet drinks).

In one study of middle-schoolers, their risk of becoming obese increased 60% for each extra sugary drink they consumed each day. Increased soda intake also correlates with increased body weight and risk for developing diabetes.  Soda has zero nutritional value (other than calories) and frequently replaces other beverages, like milk, that growing children and adolescents need. What is even more disturbing is the finding that chronic consumption of sugary beverages can actually change children’s taste preference so that they find water and even food that is non-sweet (veggies, grains, beans, meat) unpalatable.

I believe that a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages would be a good thing. We are not talking about banning soda or making it available only to people over a certain age, but simply making it more expensive so that people (children) think twice before spending their hard-earned money (allowance) on it. Maybe if we did this people would start thinking about soda as the occasional treat that it should be instead of something to drink every day to quench thirst. For example, alcoholic beverages are heavily taxed and generally not consumed on a regular basis.  They are special occasion drinks, which is how we should start thinking of sugar-sweetened beverages.

What do you think? Do you believe that Americans will stop drinking so much sugar-sweetened soda if it is more expensive? Do you think this proposed tax is unfair?