Study concludes taxing snacks more effective at reducing obesity
Taxing snacks could be better at reducing obesity than simply targeting sugary drinks.
That is according to a new study which comes a year after the Government introduced a "sugar tax" on fizzy drinks.
The study - published in the British Medical Journal - found that a reduction in the consumption of high-sugar snacks has a better chance at improving people's health compared to taxing fizzy drinks.
A 20% tax on sugary snacks like cake, biscuits and chocolate could reduce a person's calorie intake by 8,900 calories over the course of a year.
This would amount in a weight loss of 1.3kg.
Whereas a similar price increase on sugary drinks would result in an average weight loss of just 203 grams.
One in four Irish adults are obese, while one in four children overweight.
