A UW doctor likes a new plan to increase the tax on soda.
A group of nutrition and economic experts is pushing for a penny-an-ounce tax to fight obesity. The charge would not only be on soda, but other sweetened beverages.
Doctor Pat Remington, Associate Dean of the UW School of Medicine, applauds the move. He says there’s strong evidence that shows sugar-sweetened beverage has a major impact on obesity rates in the US. Remington says some of the sugary drinks, which often come in super sizes, can contain 500 to 600 calories.
Remington says the tax could help to fund anti-obesity programs and also help convince some soda drinkers that the product is just too expensive.