Tax on sodas could greatly reduce diabetes rate

During the course of the past 10 years, a high number of people have come to require a prescription to buy Actos to treat their diabetes. Also during this time, consumption of soda has increased dramatically. Coincidence?

A team of researchers from the Columbia University Medical Center thinks not. This is why they are recommending a penny-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, juices and sport drinks.

They estimated that this could slow the growth in the diabetes rate by 2.6 percent. Combined with reductions in strokes and heart attacks, the team projected that the tax could save $17 billion in medical expenses over the next 10 years while generating $13 billion in annual tax revenue. The long-term health benefits could be even greater, as fewer children grow up drinking sugar-sweetened beverages.

"Sugary soft drinks really are liquid candy, and their low purchase price hides the true costs of health problems associated with them," said researcher Lee Goldman. "Our model estimates that a penny-per-ounce tax would substantially reduce obesity, diabetes and heart disease among adults in the United States."

This could lead to fewer adults who require a prescription to buy Actos.