Sugary beverage taxes to lower

obesity
Sebastián Auz
 Arguments of the text
 Overweight and obesity in Mexico is a huge problem.
 The amount of sugary beverages drink in Mexico are the main cause of diabetes.
 Taxes on sugar added beverages is one option to start reducing the consumption.
 Prevention campaigns for awareness of problems due to sugary beverages.
 Consistencies & Inconsistencies

 There’s a consistency when mentioned repeatedly that consumption of sugary beverages

play a roll in obesity in Mexico.
 Inconsistency no good solutions given.
 Another consistency is that the government is conscious that prevention and health care
initiatives are not enough to solve the obesity problem in Mexico and propose fiscal
regulation.
 Other inconsistency is that neither the author nor the government are proposing more
solutions.
 Fallacies or omissions
 A biased generalization is made when it is implied that taxing sugary beverages will reduce obesity.
 It is a wrong assumption to imply that taxes on sugary beverages will reduce consumption.
 It is an exaggeration to state that consumption on sugary beverages contribute to the excess of
energetic intakes. Because there are many aspects that contribute to exceed of energetic intakes. To
make such statement there should be evidence.
 It is an error to omit cultural and family backgrounds because that it where nutrition starts.
 When the government wants to apply the tax in the range of 1 peso per litter depending on the level
of dissolution in sugar added beverages, because companies will find sugar substitutes to avoid
taxes.
 Analysis
 One of the most important aspects in sugary beverages consumption in Mexico is cultural.
 Many people are willing to reduce food portion, quality and type, but keep consuming sugary
beverages.
 Beverages such as Coca Cola, Big Cola and Pepsi Cola are mostly indispensable in a low
income family meal.
 Many of the claims are accurate but there is a huge lack of arguments, sources are not
reliable and statistics are not presented. Meaning that the point of view of the author was
made from a vague research.
 Conclusions
 The Mexican government believes that by adding taxes to sugary beverages, people will
star consuming less of this products. The problem is that is a cultural behavior and for the
people this kind of beverages are really important on their daily basis.
 Not only sugary beverages are the problem, but also junk food and sugary food are the
cause for obesity and diabetes as well.
 In addition there should be more education on health nutrition to start preventing obesity
and diabetes.