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End with the XXL culture in the diet health insurance chief for sugar tax
More and more people in Germany are suffering from diabetes. Responsible for the increase is mainly the diet. The head of the health insurance AOK Rheinland / Hamburg now demands consequences: one must move away from the XXL culture. He argues - as well as other health experts - for the introduction of a sugar tax.
More and more diabetics in Germany
The so-called diabetes spreads more and more: Almost seven million people now live with diabetes in Germany. This emerges from the "German Health Report Diabetes 2017", in which a contribution is also to be found, which sets out the connection between sugar consumption, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Evidence-based arguments are compiled here, "in which the food and sugar industries will not be able to miss in future," said the German Diabetes Association (DDG). Diabetes prevention through higher taxes would, according to experts, a way to address the problem.
In Germany there are more and more diabetics. Responsible for the increase is mainly the diet. Health experts are calling for the introduction of a sugar tax. (Image: Jiri Hera / fotolia.com) Numerous sequelae threaten
In the long term, diabetes is associated with numerous sequelae, as poorly adjusted blood sugar can lead, for example, to amputations, re-blindness, cardiac and vascular complications. "Three-quarters of people with diabetes eventually die of heart attacks or strokes," explained the DDG.
In recent years, many German health experts have suggested following the example of other countries and introducing a sugar tax to combat obesity, obesity, diabetes and resulting diseases.
Now, the head of the health insurance AOK Rheinland / Hamburg, Günter Wältermann, has spoken out for such a tax.
Lots of exercise and healthy food
In the "Rheinische Post" (RP) he called for a "societal strategy" in view of the increasing number of diabetics. In addition to a lot of exercise and a healthy diet in day nurseries and schools, this included well visible and clearly understandable nutritional information on food packaging.
According to Wältermann one must also get away from the XXL culture in the diet. "Even a sugar tax must be taken into account," said the health insurance chief.
Health experts for sugar tax
In some countries there is already a sugar tax. However, the majority of Germans reject the sugar tax, as a survey of DAK health showed.
Last year, the union food-pleasure-restaurants (NGG) also opposed a fat and sugar tax.
The World Health Organization (WHO), on the other hand, had demanded special taxes on sugary drinks only in October to combat obesity worldwide. According to experts, such soft drinks are often the cause of overweight and obesity.
Increased risk of heart attack for diabetics
As the RP reports, it is clear from the still unpublished health report of the AOK Rhineland / Hamburg that the proportion of diabetic patients in the insured of the health insurance has increased from about 9.5 percent in 2010 to now eleven percent.
Diabetes causes many other ailments. According to the AOK report, the risk of heart attack is eight times as high for diabetics as it is for non-ill people. In addition, other heart disease, chronic wounds and kidney disease diabetics more often. (Ad)