The Royal College of Physicians has called on the Government to introduce a 20% tax on sugar sweetened drinks, including sports drinks, in the Budget to tackle obesity.
One in four Irish children is classified as overweight or obese and doctors say sugary foods and drinks are a big part of the problem.
Professor Donal O’Shea of St Vincent’s Hospital said the RCPI believes the tax would significantly impact childhood obesity and in time adult obesity.
“We simply have to act, obesity is killing 6,000 people a year in Ireland,” Prof O’Shea said.
He said the best way to impact the consumption of “free sugar” is to target sugar-sweetened drinks.
Prof O’Shea said a number of measures are needed together to tackle the problem of obesity in the population.
“Simply taxing sugar sweetened drinks without education wont work,” he said.But doing nothing “is not an option”, he added.