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As summer winds down, the news about sugar is heating up. A study released this week found Berkeley’s low-income neighborhoods saw a big shift away from sugary drinks after the tax. The news gives a big boost to four cities pursuing taxes this fall. We update you below on their progress with Election Day under 11 weeks away. Also this week, a new scientific consensus recommended kids should eat less than 6 teaspoons of sugar a day. But as kids head back to school, new USDA rules still allow companies on campus to sell products that are up to one-third sugar. The United Kingdom recently tried to tackle junk food marketing to kids, but Big Food squashed the plan. Learn how the Olympics are key to sugar industry’s denialism and what can be done about it for Tokyo 2020.

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Study: Berkeley’s low-income neighborhoods saw big shift away from sugary drinks after tax

Berkeley’s low-income neighborhoods saw a 21 percent drop in consumption of soda and other sugary drinks in the months after the city introduced a tax of one cent per ounce on such beverages. This new study provides another key piece of evidence that sugary drink taxes work. Read more.

August update on cities pursuing sugary drink taxes

Advocates have been hard at work this summer building support with voters in Boulder and the Bay Area as campaigns accelerate toward November’s ballot initiatives on sugary drink taxes. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia preparations are proceeding for implementation of the soda tax in January. Read more.

New guidelines: Kids should eat less than 6 teaspoons of sugar a day

Each day, the typical American youth consumes more than three times the six teaspoons of added sugar recommended as a daily limit under new guidelines from the American Heart Association. It’s time to bring sugar back to healthy levels for kids. We have the resources needed to move the science to action. Read more.

How schools are used to market sugar to kids

Big Food is using back to school as a way to push even more sugar on a generation of children who face an epidemic of diabetes. New rules from the USDA mean the junk food giants will have a little less wiggle room to use schools as ads. While it’s a step forward from having no limits on using schools to market to children, more action is needed to bring school sugar back to healthy levels. Read more.

Unlike USA, UK produces childhood obesity plan – to harsh reviews

The United Kingdom’s government recently released its long awaited childhood obesity plan, but it was a major disappointment to advocates who’d been hoping for meaningful change. Big Food may have won yet another political battle at the expense of children’s health, but there is a growing recognition that this is unacceptable. Read more.

Why the Olympics are key to sugar industry’s denialism

Health advocates from around the world have organized campaigns to highlight why it’s time for Coca-Cola’s sponsorship of the Olympics to go the way of Virginia Slims’ sponsorship of tennis. If you’re tired of seeing Coca-Cola use the Olympics to promote sugary soda, now is the time to act. Read more.

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It promises to be an eventful 11 weeks between now and Election Day. To keep up with all the latest developments on sugary drinks taxes, sign up for our daily media updates at healthyfoodamerica.org.

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Yours Truly,

David Goldberg
Healthy Food America