Bendigo Community Health Services chief executive Kim Sykes says a tax on soft drinks could help fund other health programs and services for the whole Australian population.
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Her comments come after the Grattan Institute released a report that found about 10 per cent of Australia's obesity problem is due to soft drinks.
It proposes a 40 cents per 100 grams of sugar on all non-alcoholic, water-based drinks that contain added sugar.
The proposed tax would add 80 cents to the price of a 2 litre soft drink, 15 cents to the price of a 375ml can, 14 cents to the price of a 600ml sports drink, and 11 cents to the price of a 250ml energy drink like Red Bull.
Ms Sykes, who is on the Health Programs Advisory Group for the Gratten Institute, said she supported a soft drink tax because diets high in sugar increase health risks in people.
“Drinking lots of sugary drinks does contribute to disease. Sugary drinks stand out because they are not necessary to the diet,” Ms Sykes said.
“They don’t add much nutritional benefit and there is an easy replacement in water. Fortunately in Australia we have good quality water.
“It would help individuals think twice and might be enough to cause a change in behaviour and help drive better choices.”
The soft drink tax would add an estimated $520 million per year while also tackling Australia's obesity epidemic.
“It would also provide an opportunity to reinvest those funds,” she said.
“That would be a very valuable thing (because) at the end of day it would reduce tax payer costs (in fighting) chronic disease. The benefits would be there in the longer term.
“It would be decision for the government but it would be a good correlation in paying tax on something not good for you to help reduce health risks.”
Ms Sykes said it was important to educate people on bad eating habits and the potential impact food can have.
“It is easy to develop bad (eating) habits. Sugar and fat turns up in so many foods that are attractive to palate,” she said.
“Awareness is slowly growing but we are concerned it is growing faster in better educated and more well resourced populations.
“People with resources can pay to get something they know is healthier, they can see a dietitian or join a gym.
“Many people are not in that position and aren’t aware of (sugar-related) health risks, which is why money (from a potential soft-drink tax) should re-directed in supporting the whole population.”
Ms Sykes said sugar was also in a lot of other foods and that a tax wouldn’t be the sole solution in fighting obesity in Australia.
“For some other foods applying a tax is more complex but not the only solution,” she said.
“There are a range of other interventions, supports, programs and policy positions that can be taken.
“But that is a range of difficult decisions for the government, around what levers are available and prepared to use.
“No one saying we want a nanny state however a lot of the impact of the contents of pre-prepared food is hidden. So it is about making more informed choices.”