Rauch Wants to Introduce Sugar Tax on Drinks in Austria

A sugar tax on beverages would have a positive impact on health, especially that of children. This is confirmed by a new study commissioned by the Ministry of Health. "Many beverages, especially marketed for children, contain vast amounts of sugar," emphasized Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) on Saturday. This significantly increases the risk of disease. In Austria, every fourth girl and every third boy is overweight or obese.

Study Shows Positive Impact on Children from Sugar Tax

"A sugar tax would also make sense in Austria. This is shown by the positive experiences of other countries," Rauch explained in a press release. Such a tax has been introduced by over 70 states, regions, and municipalities worldwide since 2010. The greatest effect is achieved when the revenues are earmarked for healthy food or health-promoting measures, the Ministry reported from the analysis of Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (GÖG). However, the actual effects on health "cannot yet be conclusively proven for all countries due to the long-term effect," it says with a caveat.

Majority of Sugar Consumption in Children from Beverages

According to the Ministry of Health, beverages account for the largest share of sugar consumption in children and adolescents. A "soda tax" would be suitable to reduce sugar consumption and positively influence health, foodwatch responded in a press release. The organization launched an online petition for a tax on sweet drinks on Saturday.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.