Law change CDU health politician calls for sugar tax

CDU politician calls for sugar tax - It threatens a diabetes tsunami
Caries, overweight, high blood pressure: sugar makes you sick. But above all, the increase in diabetes caused by high sugar consumption worries experts. Now, a politician is also demanding changes in the government's bill to put more pressure on the food industry.

Every fourth German could have diabetes in 2030
More and more Germans are suffering from diabetes. According to the German Diabetes Association (DDG), more than six million people nationwide are being treated for metabolic disease. Also more and more children are affected. As the CDU health politician Dietrich Monstadt told the ZDF magazine "Frontal 21" said estimates are that by 2030, a quarter of all Germans could be suffering from diabetes type II. The Bundestag calls for the introduction of a sugar tax.

According to estimates, about one quarter of Germans could be suffering from diabetes by 2030. A member of the government is now demanding the introduction of a sugar tax. (Image: Sebastian Studio / fotolia.com)

Health politician warns of "diabetes tsunami"
"A diabetes tsunami is approaching us," says Monstadt. "I am a sugar tax advocate to raise awareness of this issue," said the health politician, who has diabetes himself.

He attacks the policy of the Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, Christian Schmidt (CSU), who rejects this means of reducing sugar consumption and for years relies on voluntary agreements in the industry - despite sharp criticism from medical associations and consumer advocates.

Monstadt, however, said: "Voluntary commitments do not work. Then there is only legislative intervention. "In addition, the politician explained:" The taxation of Alcopops has worked and we are also successful in smoking with legislative measures. "

Many Germans against sugar tax
Diabetes prevention through higher taxes has been discussed for years. 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) had opposed a fat and sugar tax.

European recommendations far too high
Another problem is that sugar hides in many processed products where you do not expect it. Monstadt demanded that foodstuffs - contrary to the previous regulations - should be more clearly labeled.

For the nutritional value table, which must be printed on the packaging as of December 2016, the EU provides a recommended daily intake of 90 grams of sugar. "I think that's way too high, 50 grams are appropriate, even better are 25 grams," says Monstadt. He follows the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Not more than six teaspoons of sugar per day
The WHO had demanded special taxes on sugar-containing drinks only in October, in order to combat overweight world-wide. According to doctors and researchers, such soft drinks are often the cause of overweight and obesity.

The WHO, which had long recommended that a maximum of ten percent of the daily calorie intake should be made of sugar, now advocates lowering the limit to five percent. This equates to about 25 grams, about six small teaspoons of sugar per day. A conventional soft drink contains on average about ten teaspoons of sugar. (Ad)