Unhealthy food and lack of movement are possible reasons for weight gain and the resultant obesity.
The world health organization (WHO) notes this Problem, increasingly, in children, and is therefore trying to combat obesity in children with new measures.
Obesity in children is associated with many health problems, which affect you in your future life.
The causes include various factors, but especially the socio-economic Status. Therefore, it sees the WHO, as the duty of countries to counteract this Problem.
Particularly in Portugal, a combination of unhealthy diets and the increase of sedentary life have a high Rate of overweight children.
As a solution, a tax on sugary drinks occurred in January 2017.
Soda tax for Obesity
The Initiative of the Monitoring of obese children (COSI) belongs to the world health organization (WHO) and collects continuously data about the situation of overweight children in Europe, and especially Portugal seem to be a country in crisis, in which the Rate of overweight children is particularly high.
After further surveys, it shows that the main cause for the Obesity of young people are sugar drinks containing refreshment – the COSI provides for the taxation of the beverage, therefore, is essential.
The taxation of unhealthy drinks, according to the COSI, the only weapon that could lead to a change in behavior.
In January 2017 a tax for sugary drinks in Portugal shows fast effect.
Picture gallery: So many pieces of cube sugar is put in these products
Companies change after change in the Law
The taxation caused a structural change in the industry with the new law, many companies have reduced the sugar content of their products clearly, so that they could avoid the tax and for consumers to continue to be attractive to biting.
Dr. Francisco Goiana Silva, a member of the Cabinet of Ministers of the portugis iesischen Ministry of health estimates that political laws and investments have a greater impact on the population as a reconnaissance measures.
It would also throw a new light on the taxes, because the revenue should only be used for the promotion of health used.
With the taxation of sugar-containing beverages and the positive results Portugal has taken a first step to a healthier way of life of children and offers a guide for other European countries.
Current, there are the so-called soda tax in the United Kingdom, in Germany, is discussed through an introduction again and again.
Current Numbers so far
The soda tax has encouraged many companies to rethink, but whether this is also the number überwichtiger children decreases, it is so far unclear.
The COSI measures since 2008, at a distance of two to three years, the weight of school-aged children and created as an Overview of the status of the respective country.
Although the initiative has found that the Rate of overweight children in Portugal in the period from 2006 has fallen by 2018, from 37.9 per cent to 30.7 per cent., but as the new verse has a led inflation on sugary drinks, is currently not known.
Michelle Steinmetz
*The article “child Obesity: a soda tax in Portugal shows effect” will be released by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.