A new study released by the American Heart Association cites sugary drinks as the leading cause of death of over 180,000 people around the globe every year. What is interesting about the report is that it involves looking backward on people's health histories after they are already dead. Many of the people studied died from complications related to diabetes, heart disease and cancer - not a single cause of death was officially listed as "sweet tea".
As America's War on Obesity continues to generate headlines and prompt attempts at new legislation, we're seeing the same pattern that took place with cigarettes just a few years ago. People in the U.S. and around the world are physically drawn to the sugary drinks that everyone knows are not the best choice from a health standpoint. Yet people continue to purchase and consume them because they are ubiquitous and they are generally inexpensive. In many places, it's easier and cheaper to consume packaged soft drinks than to find clean drinking water.
In the near future, look for our governments to find ways of increasing taxes on soft drinks and their manufacturers. As healthcare becomes more and more a function of government, look for lawsuits to be filed against the manufacturers of soft drinks and sugary beverages on the grounds that their consumption leads to increased healthcare costs. And while there are compelling arguments to be made on both sides of such a hypothetical case, it's easy to imagine huge settlements coming from global corporations to temporarily boost government coffers. Of course, eventually things will return to business as usual, while our leaders seek new targets for revenues to fund the state.
As America's War on Obesity continues to generate headlines and prompt attempts at new legislation, we're seeing the same pattern that took place with cigarettes just a few years ago. People in the U.S. and around the world are physically drawn to the sugary drinks that everyone knows are not the best choice from a health standpoint. Yet people continue to purchase and consume them because they are ubiquitous and they are generally inexpensive. In many places, it's easier and cheaper to consume packaged soft drinks than to find clean drinking water.
In the near future, look for our governments to find ways of increasing taxes on soft drinks and their manufacturers. As healthcare becomes more and more a function of government, look for lawsuits to be filed against the manufacturers of soft drinks and sugary beverages on the grounds that their consumption leads to increased healthcare costs. And while there are compelling arguments to be made on both sides of such a hypothetical case, it's easy to imagine huge settlements coming from global corporations to temporarily boost government coffers. Of course, eventually things will return to business as usual, while our leaders seek new targets for revenues to fund the state.
