FOR patients dealing with the daily demands on their health caused by conditions such as diabetes and obesity - and the medical experts involved in treatments and support - it is bound to be a positive move.

Responding to the tax on sugary drinks, announced this week by the chancellor, George Osborne, Chris Askew, Diabetes UK Chief Executive, said: “It is really promising news that the Government has announced a tax on the soft drinks industry. We have been campaigning for this measure as we are all consuming too much sugar. This is contributing to the huge rise we are seeing in the numbers of people who are overweight and obese, and therefore at increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. There are already around 3.6 million people in the UK with Type 2 diabetes. This is already a huge health and economic burden for individuals and health systems.

“However, this tax should not be absorbed by the soft drinks industry. Prices need to change otherwise there will be no impact on the health of nation. We now look forward to seeing further measures to tackle this crisis in the forthcoming Childhood Obesity Strategy. We would like to see mandatory targets for food manufacturers to reduce levels of salt, fat and sugar in their products, and restrict marketing of junk food to children.”

It is anticipated the sugar tax will be introduced by 2018 and will see companies charged based on the level of sugar in their products. The £520 million due to be raised will be used to help and support school sport, says the chancellor.

Food expert Verner Wheelock, former head of the University of Bradford’s Food Policy and Research Unit who now runs his own food training and consultancy service based at Broughton Hall, Skipton, has long campaigned against sugar, especially when it comes to tackling Type 2 diabetes.

He says: "This should certainly be welcomed as it demonstrates a willingness on the part of the Government to take some action despite the PM saying a tax was not going to happen. The tax per se is unlikely to have a big impact but what is positive is the message it sends out to individuals and to the industry.

"Personally I would control sugar in the same way as alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs because it is at least as damaging to health as the other substances.

However there is still a long way to go. The real problem is not obesity but diabetes. Here we have to reduce not just sugar but all foods which contain starch (the carbohydrates) because the starch breaks down glucose and so contributes to the build-up of glucose in the blood. The vast majority of health professionals advise diabetics to REDUCE FAT and INCREASE carbs, which of course only makes things very much worse. Until this issue is tackled, we will not make significant progress. In other words we should advocating the exact opposite….reduce carbs and increase the healthy fats."

Anne-Marie O'Leary, Editor in Chief of the parenting website, Netmums, says: "Mums tell us that their children's health is their utmost priority, so it's encouraging that the government have shied away from taking much needed action to tackle the UK's growing childhood obesity problem.

"The soft drink sugar levy is an important first step but the additional funding for school sports is initially only for a limited number of schools. A coherent, all schools strategy is required to effect real change.

"Research also shows that increasing physical activity through sport alone isn’t enough to tackle childhood obesity. Investment is required across a raft of measures as there is no one magic bullet to tackle the problem.But overall it's a good start."

Shahidur Rahman, health improvement lead, particularly around obesity, for public health within Bradford Council, says he believes it is raising awareness and opening up discussions about obesity, in particular childhood obesity, and sugar.

"It definitely will make an impact because a lot of our children in Bradford consume a lot of sugar and a lot of fizzy drinks and I think it is fantastic and a step in the right direction."

A spokesperson for soft drinks manufacturer, Princes, which has an operation in Bradford, says: “As the British Soft Drinks Association has stated, the soft drinks category has consistently reduced sugar intake in recent years - down 13.6% since 2012 – while other major take home food categories have increased sugar and calorie intake for consumers. Princes has played an active role in reformulating products and launching low and no calorie options and is committed to helping consumers lead healthier lifestyles. All Princes products are clearly labelled, in line with current guidelines and legislation, with accurate information to help consumers make informed decisions."