{"id":115143,"date":"2017-02-05T10:00:43","date_gmt":"2017-02-05T08:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/?p=115143"},"modified":"2017-02-03T14:58:53","modified_gmt":"2017-02-03T12:58:53","slug":"why-a-sugar-tax-could-be-good-for-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/features\/115143-why-a-sugar-tax-could-be-good-for-south-africa","title":{"rendered":"Why a sugar tax could be good for South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Africa\u2019s planned sugar tax has come under severe scrutiny from its parliamentarians. The questions they\u2019re grappling with are whether the country needs a tax and how effective it will be<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The tax is planned to take effect on April 1 2017. It\u2019s designed to reduce sugar intake from sugar-sweetened beverages by upping the price with a 20% fiscal tax.<\/p>\n

The South African health authorities\u2019 plan to issue a sugar tax must not be seen in isolation. It is part of the South African National Department of Health\u2019s strategic plans<\/a> to prevent and control non-communicable disease, and obesity<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These strategies have set the ambitious target of reducing obesity by 10% by 2020. And they include salt reduction legislation<\/a>, trans-fat regulations<\/a>, and stricter label and advertising regulations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The reality is that the move to introduce the sugar tax is necessary because of the scourge of non-communicable diseases and obesity in the country.<\/p>\n

The rise of non-communicable diseases<\/h3>\n

It is not unusual for populations that modernize<\/a> as a result of socioeconomic development to have changes in their dietary patterns.<\/p>\n

But the move from traditional foods to more processed and convenience foods is linked to weight gain and an increased risk of developing diet-related non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.<\/p>\n

Non-communicable diseases have become the leading causes of death in low- and middle-income countries. South Africa is no exception. It has the highest rates of overweight and obese adults in Africa. Nearly one in every seven South African women<\/a> is affected. And 40% of deaths<\/a> from non-communicable conditions among men occur before they turn 60.<\/p>\n

In its second National Burden of Disease Study<\/a> South Africa\u2019s Medical Research Council tracked mortality levels and trends for non-communicable diseases between 1997 and 2012. It found that by 2010 non communicable diseases had become one of the top causes of death in the country. They accounted for 39%<\/a> of all fatalities putting them on par with the number of people dying from HIV\/AIDS and tuberculosis combined.<\/p>\n

The World Health Organisation predicts that by 2020 these diseases will account for 80% of the global burden of disease. They will be responsible for seven of every 10 deaths in developing countries<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Currently, a third of these premature deaths in lower income countries occur in people under the age of 60. In high income countries the proportion is only 13%.<\/p>\n

The impact of non-communicable diseases has a significant impact on economic development. The accumulated loss to South Africa\u2019s gross domestic product between 2006 and 2015 from diabetes, stroke and heart disease was estimated at US$1.88 billion<\/a>. The World Economic Forum<\/a> has estimated that other industrialised countries such as Brazil, China, India and the Russia lose more than 20 million productive life years annually to non-communicable diseases.<\/p>\n

An obese nation<\/h3>\n

In addition to sharp increase in non-communicable diseases, obesity has also risen at an exponential rate. The number of overweight and obese children<\/a> in South Africa has increased from 1.4% in 1994 to more than 15% in 2004.<\/p>\n

And the obesity phenomenon has come about before South Africa has been able to win the battle against under-nutrition<\/a>. While there has been a rise in the number of overweight and obese people<\/a>, many are still undernourished because their food choices deprive their bodies of essential nutrients (energy, vitamins and minerals).<\/p>\n

The changes in South Africans\u2019 dietary patterns<\/a> over time have included:<\/p>\n