Dutch Teenagers' High Consumption of Sugary Drinks Raises Health Concerns and Calls for Sugar Tax
A recent study conducted by researchers from the GGD Amsterdam, the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Ipsos I&O has revealed a concerning trend in the Netherlands: Dutch teenagers aged 12 to 16 consume an average of 9.5 glasses of sugary drinks per week. Alarmingly, over half of the teenagers surveyed (51.7%) consume as many as 16.5 glasses per week, which equates to approximately 90 sugar cubes. The study’s findings underscore the significant health risks associated with high sugar intake and advocate for the implementation of a sugar tax that scales with the sugar content of the beverage.
The municipal health service GGD highlighted that the excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is directly linked to an increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The researchers emphasize that the 90 sugar cubes consumed weekly by some teenagers already surpasses the recommendations set by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO’s guidelines, a 12-year-old girl with a moderately active lifestyle should not consume more than 44 sugar cubes per week from food and drinks combined. For a 16-year-old boy with a very active lifestyle, the maximum recommended intake is 79 sugar cubes per week.
The study involved a survey of 839 Dutch teenagers aged 12 and 16, focusing on their consumption of various sugary drinks, including soft drinks, sports drinks, ice teas, fruit juices, and energy drinks. The results indicated that a substantial 72.6 percent of Dutch teenagers consider their consumption of these sugary drinks to be “normal.” Furthermore, the researchers found a strong correlation between the availability of sugary drinks at home and increased consumption, with teenagers having easy access to these beverages being 14 times more likely to be heavy consumers.
A significant portion of teenagers purchase their sugary drinks at supermarkets, and nearly half (49.7 percent) indicated that higher prices would lead to a reduction in their consumption. An overwhelming 85 percent stated they would forgo purchasing soft drinks if the price increased to over €3 per drink. These findings strongly support the researchers’ advocacy for increasing the price of sugary drinks as a means of curbing excessive consumption.
The current Dutch government, the Jetten Cabinet, has outlined plans to implement a sugar tax by 2030. The researchers in the study are urging for the immediate implementation of additional taxes on sugary drinks. Their proposed model would link the tax rate directly to the amount of sugar in the beverage, with drinks containing higher sugar levels incurring higher taxes. This approach aims to provide a stronger disincentive for the consumption of sugary drinks and encourage healthier beverage choices.
The potential impact of a sugar tax on public health is considerable. By increasing the cost of sugary drinks, the tax could effectively reduce consumption, leading to a decrease in obesity rates and a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes among Dutch teenagers. While the long-term effects of a sugar tax require further evaluation, the current study provides compelling evidence for its potential effectiveness in promoting healthier dietary habits and mitigating the health risks associated with excessive sugar intake. The researchers believe that a combination of policy measures, including a sugar tax and public health campaigns, is necessary to address the issue of high sugary drink consumption among young people.
