In recent years, the state Legislature has been party to several failed attempts at passing a soda tax despite well-constructed bills and, most recently, a priority commitment on the part of Gov. Neil Abercrombie to get it done. The opposition argues that a sugar tax would impinge on freedom of choice and that government should not dictate which beverages people choose to drink. The problem is that society ends up paying a huge price for those citizens who routinely consume excessive amounts of sugar.
Secondhand sugar is like secondhand smoke. When someone addicted to sugar suffers from obesity, diabetes, heart disease or sleep apnea, the ohana and society suffer the effects.
According to a study just published by researchers at Columbia University, 18 percent of deaths between 1986 and 2006 in the United States were attributed to obesity, which is largely the result of sugar consumption. The problem is not only premature death but also the intensive and costly treatment rendered for related medical problems. Some argue that unbridled sugar consumption is analogous to a decision to not wear a motorcycle helmet, to drink and drive or to text while driving.
Sugar also affects mood. Last week, another study was published showing that children as young as 5 years old who drank more sugar-sweetened beverages were more aggressive, socially withdrawn and had more difficulty paying attention than their peers who had fewer or no sugar-sweetened beverages. This was analogous to another study published in 2011 on how teens are affected by soft drinks. They were more likely to have carried a weapon and act violently. This has implications for police resources as well as the judicial and prison systems.
This summer, in a move that places more pressure on insurers to pay for prevention and treatment, the American Medical Association officially designated obesity as a disease. The decision was not simply to combat obesity, which impacts one in three people in this country, but also to gain support in the fight against sugar diabetes and America’s No. 1 killer, heart disease.
Obesity is the No. 1 health risk factor in Hawaii, according to the state Department of Health. Why? Because it breeds so many other conditions including sugar diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, arthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory illnesses, high cholesterol and certain cancers, particularly of the breast and bowel.
This past week the Office of Hawaiian Affairs announced it awarded a $433,000 grant to the Queen’s Medical Center to work with Hawaiians suffering from obesity to encourage physical activity and healthy diets in a culturally sensitive manner. OHA has awarded almost $3.6 million in grants for community-based programs from 2012 to 2015.
Community-based programs have the potential to make a tremendous grass-roots contribution to this problem. The AMA’s official designation of obesity as a disease will encourage health providers and payers to take even more responsibility for diagnosis and treatment. Eventually, the state will pass the much-needed soda tax.
Eating excessive amounts of sugar on a daily basis is not an expression of freedom. It is a form of self-abuse that has far-reaching effects not only on the individual but also on loved ones, the community and society. Sugar consumption drives up the cost of health care, takes away from our sense of well-being and hampers productivity. Beware the effects of secondhand sugar.
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Ira Zunin, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., is medical director of Manakai o Malama Integrative Healthcare Group and Rehabilitation Center and CEO of Global Advisory Services Inc. Please submit your questions to info@manakaiomalama.com.
