Sugar tax - will it unintentionally penalise diabetics?

Parents of teenagers with type 1 diabetes say George Osborne's plan to raise the cost of sugary drinks will have an unintentional impact on their families.

On Wednesday the chancellor unveiled plans to tax soft drinks manufacturers who put large amounts of sugar in their products.

But people with type 1 diabetes say sugary drinks like Lucozade are a necessity and not a luxury that should be taxed.

'We spend a fair amount of money on sport drinks'

Chris Loukas from Urmston in Trafford, Greater Manchester, says his teenage daughter Yvette is sporty, fit and healthy. She manages her type 1 diabetes with energy drinks that contain sugar .

"Yvette was diagnosed at the age of four. As a family, we spend a fair amount of money on Lucozade energy and sport drinks. Not all kids who regularly consume expensive sugary drinks are lazy, overweight slobs," Chris says.

"My daughter is very fit, she plays football and has played sport at high levels for the last 10 years."

'This sugar tax is just another kick in the teeth'

Supporters of the sugar tax, including Jamie Oliver, believe it will help tackle child obesity.
But Chris says it's unfair and could end up putting an unnecessary burden on the NHS.

"People with coeliac disease can get prescriptions for gluten-free foods. Parents strapped for cash might ask to get Lucozade on prescription in the future.

"I am willing to pay for the Lucozade my daughter drinks but this sugar tax is just another kick in the teeth and I'm concerned it will put pressure on our already-stretched NHS."

Yvette, 17, plays for Manchester United under-17s ladies football team, who have reached their first-ever FA Youth Cup final where they face Arsenal next month.

'I feel faint, like I am going to collapse. It's scary'

She always has a bottle of Lucozade to hand in case her blood sugar levels drop, something that happens a few times a week.

The family say they have begun stocking up on the glucose drink before the sugar tax takes effect from 2018 .

"If I don't drink Lucozade I feel faint, like I am going to collapse. It's scary," Yvette says.

"I love playing football, I want to play the sport professionally one day and I wont let my diabetes hold me back.

"My hero is Sir Steve Redgrave because he also has diabetes but he hasn't let it affect him.

"He is a great inspiration to me."

Sugar tax exemption card

Chris says the family are doing all they can to maximise Yvette's performance on the pitch and he has a suggestion for Chancellor George Osborne to consider.

"Maybe the Government should consider providing type 1 diabetics, whose condition is seldom caused by poor lifestyle choices, some sort of sugary drink tax exemption card.

"Type 1 sufferers who play sport like my daughter, at the very highest level, at least must be worthy of such consideration."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35831139

This is a case of moaning for the sake of it in my opinion.
A "sugary drink exemption card" ???? Wow, whatever next. If you need to drink that much pop that it's gonna seriously affect your families' finances, I feel sorry for you but I would suggest trying to look at why you need to consume so much in the first place. Occasional hypo's are the norm, if you're having them multiple times a day, you're doing something wrong.

I'm seeing this as whinging at the mo. On a number of different boards there is a shed load of whinging going on.
I agree, if someone is having that many hypos they need to go back to their hospital / clinic to get it sorted out.
If I open my mouth I'll be considered the worst type of b@@@@@d.
I'm type 1 and do some sort of training every day. HIIT, spin, weights, insanity. I needed a swig of lucozade the other day. It was disgusting as it had been in my kit bag for months and had gone off but it did the job of raising me from 4.5 to the 6s to finish the spin class.
It can be bought on sale - it's always on sale somewhere.
At some stage I wish people would realise we are not victims.

Or actually am I an unfeeling b@@@@@d?

Mrs Vimes wrote:Or actually am I an unfeeling b@@@@@d?

Yeah, only kidding.

"I am willing to pay for the Lucozade my daughter drinks but this sugar tax is just another kick in the teeth and I'm concerned it will put pressure on our already-stretched NHS."

If I had a young T1 daughter, the last thing I would be worrying about, is a few pence on a bottle of Lucozade. Maybe the man should check out typeonegrit kids to see what can be achieved.

https://www.facebook.com/Type1Grit

mo1905 wrote:This is a case of moaning for the sake of it in my opinion.
A "sugary drink exemption card" ???? Wow, whatever next. If you need to drink that much pop that it's gonna seriously affect your families' finances, I feel sorry for you but I would suggest trying to look at why you need to consume so much in the first place. Occasional hypo's are the norm, if you're having them multiple times a day, you're doing something wrong.

That's what I though too for an occasional hypo the extra cost incurred would be minimal

Agreed, if she is having that many hypos she should be reviewing her diet which I expect is HCLF. Many Type 1s do well on an LCHF/ketogenic diet and for the occasional hypo they use glucose tabs or similar. Lucozade tastes like week old piss anyway (last time I had any was for my glucose tolerance test and the buggers made me buy my own, AND take the rest of the bottle home with me) 

Some low carb/diabetic athletes use glucose gels as an OCCASIONAL top-up, are they going to be taxed as well? IMO just an excuse to get in a dig against those fat lazy Type 2s who brought the disease on themselves, like Graham and me . . .