Sugary drinks tax would offer big benefits

Of course, the number of people helped would be much higher in the U.S., which has a larger population more than 10 times larger.

United States 323,995,528
Australia 24,292,128

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-04/uoq-sdt041316.php

Public Release: 13-Apr-2016
Sugary drinks tax would offer big benefits
A 20 percent tax on sugar-sweetened drinks would result in widespread, long-lasting public health benefits and significant health cost savings, a new study shows
University of Queensland

A 20 per cent tax on sugar-sweetened drinks would result in widespread, long-lasting public health benefits and significant health cost savings, a new study shows.

University of Queensland School of Public Health researcher Dr Lennert Veerman said such a tax would raise an estimated $400 million a year and reduce annual health expenditure by up to $29 million.

"Our modelling scoped the effects over the lifetime of adult Australians alive in 2010," Dr Veerman said.

"We found there would be 800 fewer new Type 2 diabetes cases each year once the tax was introduced.

"After 25 years, about 1600 fewer deaths would occur each year, with heart disease accounting for the largest share of this postponed mortality," he said.

"There would be 4400 fewer people with heart disease at that time and 1100 fewer people living with the consequences of stroke."

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The study defined a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) as a non-alcoholic drink with added sugar, including carbonated soft drinks and flavoured mineral waters. Fruit juices, fruit drinks, energy drinks, milk-based drinks and cordials were excluded.

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