The Mexican government wants to tax sugary drinks to curb Mexico's obesity epidemic. President Pena Nieto wants Mexicans to pay an extra peso (almost 8 US cents) for every litre of sweetened drink in a country that guzzles more soft drinks than any other and rivals the United States as one of the world's most obese nation.
Watch the video and answer the questions below. Decide if the statements are True or False.
1. 30% of Mexico’s population is not overweight.
a. True
b. False
2. Water is more expensive than fizzy drinks in Mexico.
a. True
b. False
3. The Mexican government believe that sodas are one of the causes of obesity.
a. True
b. False
For transcript and answers see below.
Transcript and Answers:
Mexico’s waistline just keeps getting bigger. 70% of the population is now overweight or obese, rivaling the United States as one of the world’s most obese nations. And it’s all because of a love of sugary drinks. They gulp down an average of 163 litres per year and per person, making Mexico the biggest consumer of sodas in the world. The government is tackling the epidemic head-on and wants to tax sugary drinks. Mexicans would have to pay an extra 8 US cents for every litre of sweetened drink. Soda producers are up in arms.
“It is impossible to point out one particular factor, a particular product as being the main cause of overweight and obesity. We therefore believe there’s no ground on which such a tax can be justified.”
But some scientists disagree. They say the link between obesity and excessive consumption of soda is obvious.
“It’s not hard to make the link in a country which not only has the biggest consumption of sugary drinks but also the highest levels of obesity.”
In Mexico, 14% of the population is diabetic and half a million people have died of the disease since 2006. A time bomb for the country’s health system.
“On one side the health system has neither the resources nor the infrastructure to face the complications linked to overweight and obesity. On the other side, the financial cost for families can be very worrisome.”
Many point the finger at Coca-Cola. The brand’s biggest factory in the world is located in Mexico and you can buy the drink even in the most isolated places. And it’s accused of dubious commercial methods.
“Coca Cola is sold at a lower price than water. They do that because they know that soda is addictive. You can drink water from different brands, you can filter water but if you are used to Coca Cola, you won’t want to drink Pepsi, only Coca-Cola.”
The industry is using its huge lobbying power to fight the soda tax so the fizz doesn’t go out of their business.
Answers:
1. a
2. a
3. a
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