We showed 20 pc tax on junk food would save more lives than sugar tax
Sydney, Mar 25 (The Conversation) Every Australian shopper knows the pull of cheap junk foods lining supermarket shelves. Meanwhile, the cost of fresh fruit and vegetables continues to climb. So it’s little wonder conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes are so common, and Australia’s health-care system struggles to cope. But what if policies could help level the playing field? And what would that mean for our health, and health-care expenditure? Our new research, published today in The Lancet Public Health, estimates a 20% tax on unhealthy foods could prevent 212,000 premature deaths and save A$14.9 billion in health-care