UK Sugar Tax may aggravate the struggle against diabetes

An article from the BBC warns the public about the collateral effects of the UK sugar tax, announced by the Government this March it should see daylight starting April 2018.

According to the UK’s own national broadcasting service the Government’s new measure will negatively impact a share of the British population that already struggle with a life-threatening condition: type 1 diabetes. People affected by type 1 diabetes are at risk of suffering from complication due to hypoglycemia, an insufficient level of blood glucose, which can lead to a diabetic coma. To prevent this from happening diabetics compensate by increasing their intake of sugar; the BBC reports that typically this is done by consuming sugary beverages.

The interviews conducted by the BBC and reported in the article cast a light on the detrimental impact of the tax on the purchasing power the families of diabetics. As a concerned parent commented «the sugar tax will mean keeping my son alive just got a lot more expensive».

The chief executive of Diabetes UK Chris Askew voices the widespread concern among diabetics about the sugar tax, stressing that the introduction of the measure in its current form will «adversely impact on the way people manage their condition» and reminding that type 1 diabetes «is not linked to lifestyle and cannot be prevented».

You may find the original article on the BBC website.