Springboard for action

Health concerns appear to be a priority for many, especially following the election.  The same research also discovered more than one in three people (37 per cent) say treating the big five killers – cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory and liver disease – is the area of the NHS they are most concerned with.

The survey, carried out by oral health charity the British Dental Health Foundation, is the first to assess the public’s potential support for the taxes, all of which health experts believe would go a long way to addressing current and future levels of health in the UK.

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Nigel Carter OBE, hopes the research can act as a springboard for further government action.

Nigel says: “The increase in consumption of sugary drinks is one of the key reasons for dental decay, particularly in children.  By proposing the introduction of a duty on sugary drinks, there are numerous benefits.  There will be an inevitable reduction in consumption and benefits for both general and dental health; the financial aspect will appeal to many decision makers in the health industry.