Big fat sugar tax the weigh to go

HERE’S something that just doesn’t make sense.

We all know we’re becoming a nation of fatties.

Obesity, diabetes, heart strife, the whole catastrophe— bad eating habits are undermining the health and lifestyle of so many people.

The more blubbergutses we become, the more strain we put on the health system and the more our taxes go up.

It’s not just the stress, awkwardness and personal issues being overweight brings, our fat epidemic hits productivity in the workplace and that affects prices.

It’s easy to see how stuffing our chubby faces full of bad food and junk food — and a national siton-your-butt approach to exercise — is costing us.

So, here’s the $64 million question: why isn’t government doing something?

Yeah, yeah, they’ll say they’re pouring more money than ever into health programs, education programs, sports and recreation programs all aimed at reducing our belt size.

How come all I can see is our belt sizes getting bigger? Including mine. And I don’t like it. Not one bit.

Where’s the sugar tax on all the foods making us big and fat and sick — and killing us?

We’ve taxed smoking. Cigarettes cost a fortune. And everyone knows why — because they kill you.

We’ve taxed driving. Speeding fines, over .05, all sorts of offences cost a mint. And everyone knows why — because they kill you. And kill others.

We’ve taxed the daylights out of alcohol. Aussie grog costs more than just about everywhere except Scandinavia. It’s a killer, too.

Why not sugar? It could make our greedy government squillions. That could go into proper education. Like clear messages on products in supermarkets.

Experts all say sugar and trans fats are bad, that sodium and cholesterol and preservatives are bad — but where’s the clear marking in supermarkets?

Who knows whether 25mg a serve of something is good or bad?

Who knows how big a serve is?

Who knows what the code numbers and figures are on labels? Who knows where half the stuff we’re eating even comes from — including colourings, carcinogenic chemicals, the water and soil our foods are grown in? Where are the regulators?

There’s no education in the supermarket. It’s all so confusing. It might as well be written in Chinese. The mafiosa food companies have won the day.

Why can’t we have a simple food label system — like, great for you, good for you, medium and bad for you? Something like a green-red-amber campaign?

Make it simple. Also, make a sugarless aisle compulsory in supermarkets. I’m told these are overseas and are booming.

The old saying “you are what you eat” has never been truer. But it’s not just your physical health that’s affected, it’s also your mental health.

One of the world’s leading researchers on this, Prof Felice Jacka, at Deakin’s Food and Mood Centre, has found strong evidence of ties between food and depression. Her research has found eating vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, legumes, fish, lean red meats, olive oil and nuts — while cutting sweets, refined cereals, fried food, fast-food, processed meats and sugary drinks — can treat depression.

I know the Federal Government’s looking at putting teaspoons on the sides of packaging to show how much sugar is in products, but they need to do more. Hit people where it hurts — their wallet.

The simplest fix is to attack the sugar regimen turning people into fatty boombas. Bring in a sugar tax.

What’s stopping them — a lack of scientific, health and social evidence? No. Is it budget concerns? I doubt it. A sugar tax should actually help cover the extra health costs.

Is it a lack of political will? Totally. And why? My best guess is that governments are scared of upsetting the big multinationals. Not that they’d probably care anyway. In the UK, they brought in a sugar tax and Ribena and Lucozade dropped their sugar content but Coke won’t — it’s making its bottles smaller instead and raising the price.

Old Brit PM William Gladstone is really to blame. He liked sweet things so he dumped the sugar tax. Probably be turning in his grave now.

Here in Australia, the biggest players — including Coke and Pepsi — have been sniffing the wind. Their answer to the growing campaign for a sugar tax? A promise to cut their sugar content by 20 per cent. But not until 2025 — seven years from now.

And, wait for it, this sugar cut promise by the Australian Beverages Council does not necessarily mean manufacturers will cut the amount of sugar in specific drinks.

What they’re going to do is boost the share of low- and nosugar options they sell. The 20 per cent cut will be measured by sales volume. Unbelievable.

Why my interest in all this? Because I’ve whacked on 20kg in recent times and no matter how I’ve tried — and I’ve tried — I just can’t get it off. I’ve taken up training again.

A couple of years ago, I was tearing around the place, working 24/7 and go, go, go all the time. Now I’m sluggish, tired and turning into a pudding. I hardly drink anything these days and I don’t smoke either. What’s going on?

I’m getting worried about food addiction.

It’s a real thing. The brain’s dopamine-producing centre is set off by food. The brain sends out cravings for junk food — even well after you’ve eaten enough.

It works the same as heroin or cocaine addiction. There was a time when I dabbled with drugs but I can tell you food’s a much more addictive, and socially-acceptable, evil.

I’m seeing first-hand how it can kick you about. And I hate it.

Which is why I’m saying bring on a sugar tax. It might just help me. And a lot more people with more serious problems, and potential problems, than I have.

So bring it on! Hit me.

I’ve whacked on 20kg in recent times and no matter how I’ve tried — and I’ve tried — I just can’t get it off. DARRYN LYONS