A Riverina nutrition expert has cautioned against the benefits of implementing a sugar tax, arguing disadvantaged residents would only suffer further hardship.
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CSU lecturer Ruth Crawford has been a registered dietician for more than 25 years and believes the issue is more complex than increasing the cost of sugary products.
“The Riverina is over represented in higher rates of obesity and typically there’s more smoking and more risky alcohol consumption so sugar is just a contributor,” she said.
“There’s not just one thing or special fix to this problem.”
Ms Crawford said Australia had developed into an obesogenic society in which high-calorie and nutrient-poor foods were cheaper and more accessible than ever.
In this environment, she explained, disadvantaged families with less income would be hit the hardest by a tax.
“The more disadvantage you have, the more pressures around buying cheap arise. Increasing costs would only put these families at an even greater disadvantage,” she said.
Ms Crawford said that while it was positive to facilitate community debate about a sugar tax, the onus was simply on parents to promote healthy eating wherever possible.
“Parents and community members should be role modelling for their children.”
