Taxing sweetened drinks by the gram?

A recent American study found that the idea of taxing sweetened drinks by how much sugar they contain could slash rising obesity rates and save in healthcare costs, a new study suggests.

Currently, seven US cities tax sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) by the volume of the drink.

While the policy has helped cut sales on fizzy drinks, researchers, led by Harvard University’s TH Chan School of Public Health, found a sugar tax would yield even greater results.

It would help the average adult lose 0.7 more pounds, cut obesity rates by an additional 630,000 adults and lower type 2 diabetes cases by 11,000 more people per year.

And the annual economic gain would be $1.8 billion nationwide.