The Mexicans dying for a fizzy drink

February 5 2016 by in Big Soda, Sugar/fructose, The obesity epidemic

Mexicans drink more soda than any other country. Not surprisingly they also have a higher percentage of obesity than any other large country, including childhood obesity.

Two years ago the government introduced a soda tax and now consumption of soda may be going down. Here are some stories:

BBC: The Mexicans Dying for a Fizzy Drink

Earlier

If Soda Commercials Were Honest

How One of the Most Obese Countries on Earth Took on the Soda Giants

How Mutton Flaps (???) Are Killing Tonga

7 comments

1
Mundia
February 5 2016
I just dont know if there is anything worse that soda.
2
Apicius
February 5 2016
It's not only the soda. They drink a variety of sweet drinks, like horchata, tamarindo, and all sorts of fruit juices. At a recent business trip, I was surrounded by an entire table of Mexican colleagues all imbibing in many glasses each of very sweet drinks during a lunch, and I was the ONLY one who drank only water. And of course, at end of the meal I drank a black coffee, while they scooped in several full teaspoons of sugar into theirs. I think they need to understand the sugar in drinks problem, not just soda.

Reply: #6
3
Pierre
February 5 2016
Apicius,

You forgot to tell the food they eat, mainly starchy foods.

Sangria is one of their sugary drink.

Also, for the kids what is the disponibility of milk?

How much cost one liter of milk vs one liter of soda.?

Reply: #5
4
Donna
February 5 2016
Are companies still permitted to advertise sodas? If so, than a tax is unethical. It creates an incentive for governments to continue pushing sodas while cravings and addictions are fed. The tax then becomes an additional consequence of the addiction without any support to overcome it. There should be comprehensive programs to overcome this as there was with tobacco in the U.S. Limit advertising, require companies that produce these products to pay for ending addiction support programs, and then tax the products.
5
Reply to comment #3 by Pierre
Peter Biörck Team Diet Doctor
February 5 2016

How much cost one liter of milk vs one liter of soda.?

Water is a cheap alternative to soda.
6
Reply to comment #2 by Apicius
Sergio
February 6 2016
Apicius,
You don't imagine, how hard it is for me as a doctor to make patients understand that Soda and Horchata, or tamarindo or any other "agua fresca" (sweet drinks) for that matter, is absolutely the same! Plain sugar!
It's hard because people believe you're the ugly doctor who wants to keep them deprived of their sugary stuff.
But this Tax believe it or not, helped! really!

Reply: #7
7
Reply to comment #6 by Sergio
Apicius
February 6 2016
sergio, glad to hear that there is some turn around on behaviour towards soda. But, what I see in Mexico is a lot of Agua Fresca consumption, which is equally dangerous. So, if you stop drinking Coca cola but then drink Agua Fresca, nothing has been solved. Then, when you cross the border into California, Arizona, etc...the tex Mex cuisine welcomes the consumption of sweet ice tea.

Earlier

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