Sugar tax ‘ll curb obesity, communicable diseases – Expert

Dr Mohammed Garba, a Bauchi-based physician, says the newly introduced sugar tax policy will reduce the burden of obesity and sugar related diseases in the country.

Garba stated thus in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Monday in Bauchi.

According to him, carbonated sugar portends adverse effects on human health thereby causing complications like obesity and heart related diseases.

He said that the sugar tax would encourage people to cut down its intake for a healthy living, adding that less sugar proved to be good for the health.

Garba urged the Federal Government to channel monies realised from tax on carbonated products towards enhancing quality healthcare service delivery in the country.

“The levy on sweetened products should be expanded to cover salt because it is another product threatening human health.

“Such tax on sugar and salt will enable government to accrue more money for health and other infrastructure development programmes,’’ he said.

Garba also advised consumers to patronise brown sugar which is less harmful to health.

(NAN)