Less sugar in drinks could prevent diabetes cases - study

Campaigners for a sugar tax in Ireland have welcomed new research that claims a 40 per cent cut to the amount of sugar in sweetened drinks could prevent 300,000 cases of diabetes in the United Kingdom.

The study, published in the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal, said cuts in sugar levels in drinks could stop 500,000 people in the UK from becoming obese.

Endocrinologist Prof Donal O’Shea said it was inevitable that a sugar tax would be introduced in Ireland after the next election given the mounting health evidence of the role played by sugar.

Obesity

No single factor was solely responsible for the rise in obesity and diabetes, but the biggest single opportunity for improving health outcomes was a reduction in sugar intake from sweetened drinks.

“This accounts for a huge proportion of people’s diet in general and children’s diet in particular,” said Prof O’Shea, who founded the weight management clinic in Loughlinstown hospital.

Some 20 per cent of the calories consumed by Irish five to 12-year-olds every day now comes from sugar sweetened drinks or savoury snacks, he said.