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Doctors vote against fat tax on soft drinks in Chicago

  • 30/07/2006

Doctors voted against the imposition of a fat tax on soft drinks at the annual meet of the American Medical Association (AMA) held from June 10-14 in Chicago. In May, AMA had proposed to levy such a tax all over the country as against that in 17 states. AMA's proposal came after a recommendation by the American College of Preventive Medicine.

Soft drinks are "devoid of nutritional value and do not make any positive contribution to people's diets or health', says an AMA report. They have high levels of fructose corn syrup with a 360-millilitre can of Pepsi containing 150 calories of sugar or high fructose corn syrup equivalent to 10 teaspoons of sugar. Thus, these