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Obesity issues: WHO disease panel split on soft drink sugar tax

Britain's sugar tax on soft drinks came into effect in April and led manufacturers to reformulate their products

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Reuters Geneva
An independent panel advising the World Health Organization (WHO) has stopped short of recommending taxing sugary drinks to reduce obesity after failing to reach a consensus.

Some countries, such as Mexico, France and Britain, are already taxing sugary drinks and the WHO made a non-binding recommendation in October 2016 that governments should impose a 20 percent tax.
 
While this was called “discriminatory” and “unproven” by the industry, activists had hoped for a strong endorsement from the panel, which includes heads of states and health ministers.
 
The panel on Friday called on governments to increase efforts to fight