Ammi
18-02-2013, 07:31 AM
Britain's doctors want the cost of sugary drinks increased by a fifth and a ban on unhealthy food in hospitals, according to reports.
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges says the moves would help to break the cycle of "generation after generation falling victim to obesity-related illnesses and death".
The Guardian cited a report by the academy which says doctors are "united" in seeing obesity as the greatest public health crisis facing the UK.
The academy said government efforts so far have been "piecemeal and disappointingly ineffective", given the scale of the problem.
Figures show that one in four adults in England is obese. Obesity can lead to heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
The academy's chairman, Professor Terence Stephenson, said the report did not claim to offer a full solution to obesity, but "it does say we need together to do more, starting right now, before the problem becomes worse and the NHS can no longer cope".
Its recommendations include an experimental 20% tax on sugary soft drinks for at least a year, to see what effect it has on sales.
The academy believes the potential £1bn annual tax yield could help fund an increase in weight management programmes.
Local councils are also urged to limit the number of fast food outlets near schools and leisure centres.
And NHS staff should routinely talk to overweight patients about their eating and exercise habits, the report adds.
Chef and anti-obesity campaigner Jamie Oliver welcomed the report as "the clearest warning sign yet that the medical profession is deeply concerned about obesity".
But the Food and Drink Federation , which represents produce manufacturers, said the report was a "damp squib" that added "little to an important debate".
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/doctors-want-20-fat-tax-sugary-drinks-054240929--finance.html
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges says the moves would help to break the cycle of "generation after generation falling victim to obesity-related illnesses and death".
The Guardian cited a report by the academy which says doctors are "united" in seeing obesity as the greatest public health crisis facing the UK.
The academy said government efforts so far have been "piecemeal and disappointingly ineffective", given the scale of the problem.
Figures show that one in four adults in England is obese. Obesity can lead to heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
The academy's chairman, Professor Terence Stephenson, said the report did not claim to offer a full solution to obesity, but "it does say we need together to do more, starting right now, before the problem becomes worse and the NHS can no longer cope".
Its recommendations include an experimental 20% tax on sugary soft drinks for at least a year, to see what effect it has on sales.
The academy believes the potential £1bn annual tax yield could help fund an increase in weight management programmes.
Local councils are also urged to limit the number of fast food outlets near schools and leisure centres.
And NHS staff should routinely talk to overweight patients about their eating and exercise habits, the report adds.
Chef and anti-obesity campaigner Jamie Oliver welcomed the report as "the clearest warning sign yet that the medical profession is deeply concerned about obesity".
But the Food and Drink Federation , which represents produce manufacturers, said the report was a "damp squib" that added "little to an important debate".
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/doctors-want-20-fat-tax-sugary-drinks-054240929--finance.html