The short and sweet of the sugar tax

Could a sugar tax be the only way to stop us eating ourselves to an early grave? A sweet, sweet, sugary early grave?

An ever-increasing number of doctors and docos, blogs and billboards, Instagrams and diagrams are all dedicated to the many aliments of sugar.

But is sugar as bad for us as cigarettes and alcohol?

Experts argue that sugar – like ciggies and alcohol – is abused and - like ciggies and alcohol - must be regulated with a warning system and by taxing high sugar products.

Taxes are already in place in parts of the US, Europe and just last month in the UK while The Cancer Council, Diabetes Australia and the Heart Foundation here are all trying encourage the Australian Government to introduce a similar tactic.

Dr Aseem Malhorta is a world leading Cardiologist and has been publically talking about the harmful impact of a high sugar diet and instead encouraging fat as a substitute.

"What I tell my patients is don’t fear fat: fat is your friend," he says.

Dr Malhorta is currently on a speaking tour of Australia.