Sugary drinks tax may have prevented over 5,000 cases of obesity a year in year six girls alone

The introduction of the soft drinks industry levy – the ‘sugary drinks tax’ – in England was followed by a drop in the number of cases of obesity among older primary school children, according to Cambridge researchers. Taking into account current trends in obesity, their estimates suggest that around 5,000 cases of obesity per year may have been prevented in year six girls alone.

The study, published today in PLOS Medicine, looked at the impact of the levy on reception age children and those...