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Health advocates hoping to raise an estimated $28.4 million per year from a soda tax in Multnomah County are working to gather around 25,000 signatures to get the measure on the ballot.
The tax would allow for an 18 cent tax for an average 12-ounce soda or 51 cents per liter of soda, with revenues helping to fund early childhood education, reading and literacy initiatives and school programs encouraging nutrition, physical education, school gardens and more.
Health advocates like Michael Bloomberg are working together to get the initiative off the ground with seed funding. Also, the American Heart Association, who have helped pass similar policies across the nation have started a local advocacy group called,”Yes for Healthy Kids and Education Coalition” aiming to build support around preventing obesity, limit unhealthy eating and in turn decrease heart disease.
According to Dr.Robert Quintos, board president of the American Heart Association of Oregon & SW Washington, rates of obesity and diabetes used to lag behind in The West Coast but are now catching up, he explained to The Oregonian.
In 2015, Providence Health & Services phased out sugary beverages in all hospitals, clinic and business offices as part of a healthy dining initiative. If the state continues to recognize sugary drink consumption as a major way to reduce health problems for the community, efforts towards sugary beverage measures may continue to rise.
If Oregon continues to recognize reducing sugary drink consumption as a major way to reduce health problems for the community, efforts towards sugary beverage measures that limit consumption may continue to rise.
Sugary beverage consumption is linked to higher risks for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, unhealthy weights, and cavities. Ensuring policies that promote more consumption of water, and decrease consumption of sugary beverages may help reduce associated health risks.
To learn more about the dangers of sugary drink consumption and it’s unhealthy impact on Latino kids and families, click here.
By The Numbers
74
percent
of Latino kids have had a sugary drink by age 2 (vs. 45% of white kids)
