SCOTLAND'S leading doctors have called for the sugar tax to be extended to smoothies, milkshakes and energy drinks in a bid to cut spiralling obesity rates.
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh has said that the soft drink industry levy is a "step in the right direction", but want to see it also applied to other drinks and products with high levels of sugar.
The body has also called on the Scottish Government to restrict the sale of energy drinks because of the levels of sugar and caffeine in such products, and for more to be done to promote healthy alternatives to junk foods.
The sugar tax requires companies to pay 18p per litre of drink if the product contains more than 5g of sugar per 100 millilitres, and 24p per litre if it contains 8g of sugar per 100 millilitres.
READ MORE: Key questions as sugar tax on soft drinks comes into force
It was brought in earlier this month amid concern about the amount of sugar being consumed by children.
Professor Derek Bell OBE, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said that while its introduction was welcome, it would not win Scots' battle with the bulge on its own.
He said: “Whilst I’m pleased that the sugar tax is now in effect, more can be done to ensure that as a nation, we are consuming less sugar – and indeed less salt and fatty junk food.
"The onus is on both government and on the supermarket industry to promote healthy alternatives to junk food.
"It is vital that consumers have a range of choice about what they consume, so that they can assess what is right for them."
Prof Bell's comments come after it emerged that record numbers of Scottish children have been diagnosed as obese by the time they enter Primary School, while hundreds of aged between two and four in have been referred to specialists in the past three years amid concerns over their weight.
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Recent figures released by the Scottish Government, which is working on a new anti-obesity strategy, revealed that in 2016, 65 per cent of adults aged 16 and over were overweight, with almost one in three obese.
Being overweight is linked to a host of health problems and diseases, including diabetes, heart attack, stroke and a grater chance of contracting cancer.
The Royal College also called for supermarkets to do more to promote healthy eating, with fewer junk food promotions and multi-buy deals, instead offering customers better value on foods supported by Food Standards Scotland’s “Eatwell Guide” such as fresh fruit, and food low in fat, salt and sugar.
Professor Bell said that health services were facing ever-greater strain because of people's obesity-related health issues, and that vast resources were being squandered on a problem which could be tackled by simply changing Scots eating and drinking habits.
READ MORE: Hundreds of two to four-years-olds in Scotland referred to obesity clinics
He said: "The College believes that obesity is not inevitable, it’s a crisis by design. Yet, hospital admissions for obesity have more than doubled in the last four years.
"This has put a great strain on the NHS, both from a budgetary standpoint, and also in terms of staff resource and time.
"This is greatly concerning, especially given that obesity is preventable. Several of the College’s Members have contacted me to raise their experiences of tackling obesity on the “front line” of the health sector."
He added: “It is vital, therefore, that the obesity and diabetes issue is better managed."
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