Sugar tax can reduce diabetes and related conditions – Ministry

Imposing a tax on sweetened beverages could prompt consumers to choose drinks with less sugar content thus reducing the government's burden in treating obesity and related conditions, says the Ministry of Finance.

It said Malaysia spent RM4 billion to RM8 billion to treat obesity and non-communicable diseases between 2010 and 2016.

“It (a tax on sweetened beverages) would indirectly encourage the industry to produce and promote more healthy drinks thus reducing the prevalence of obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases in society,” it said here yesterday.

The ministry said the 2015 National Health and Morbidity Study found that the prevalence of overweight among adults aged 18 and above in Malaysia was 47.7 per cent, with 30 per cent suffering from overweight and 17.7 per cent from obesity.

Nearly half of adults in Malaysia are overweight or obese, compared to only 21.1 per cent in 2006, it said.

It also said in 2015, 17.5 per cent or 3.5 million Malaysian aged 18 and above had diabetes, compared to just 11.6 per cent in 2006.

It said a tax on sweetened drinks has been imposed by 38 countries, where studies show a reduction in demand and consumption of such drinks.

“France, several states in the US, Hungary and Mexico have imposed a 10 per cent excise duty, resulting in a reduction in sugar consumption by 10 to 12 per cent as well as a decline in the prevalence of overweight and obesity,” it said.

In this region, Brunei implemented such a tax in April 2017. On July 1, the government imposed a 40 sen excise duty per litre of sweetened beverages containing more than 5g of sugar or sugar-based sweetener pre 100 ml.