Should Government Regulate Sugar Consumption

Rebecca LeMahieu

Ms. Croak

English 9-5

13 May 2015

Should the Government Regulate Sugar Consumption

The government should regulate the consumption of sugar because some statistics state that both obesity and some obesity-related diseases such as Type 2 diabetes have soared over the past half-century. Obesity rates doubled between the 1960s and 2000s, for example, and the rate of Type 2 diabetes doubled between the 1970s and 1990s. Another reason the government should regulate sugar consumption because over the past half-century, Americans have dramatically increased their intake of sugar, and research suggests this has contributed to the obesity epidemic and a rise in related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and a variety of

are overweight or obese. A rising consumption of sugary drinks has been a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. On any given day, half the people in the U.S. consume sugary drinks. (“Sugary Drinks”). Also people are decaying their teeth from consuming so much sugar. According to the article Sugary Drinks by The Nutrition Source, “The nation (U.S.) spends an estimated $190 billion a year obesity-related health conditions.” Basically, this quote is saying that so much of the U.S. is spending lots of money on obesity-related health conditions which is not good. Also every time a person consumes a 12-ounce can of soda that person's risk of type 2 diabetes goes up by 10 to 15 percent and many americans are consuming five or six servings (Kotz). In addition researchers have also found out that consuming sugar which accounts for 10 percent of energy intake is inducing the costly burden of tooth decay. (“Curb sugar intake to reduce costly burden of tooth decay, experts urge”). Altogether that is why the government should limit the consumption of sugar in drinks and food because of all of the sugar people are consuming is leading to obesity and obesity-related

Therefore if they can have success then the whole nation has the ability to have success. According to Michael Bloomberg the mayor of New York City “We put this law into effect because it is designed to save lives and help stem the rising health and financial cost of high obesity rates. Plus medical costs directly related to obesity are said to cost the city $4 billion a year.” Basically Bloomberg is saying that obesity-related diseases are costing the city lots of money and that this new law will help save the lives of some people and save lots of money. Also Bloomberg is saying that the law will help bring obesity rates down. Furthermore if we put this into effect on the whole nation would save billions and billions of dollars and in addition many lives will be saved. Altogether that is why the government should limit the intake of sugar for