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by meinmissoula 1067 days ago
> The best you can do is to highlight how bad sugar is to health in general, and hope it influences people to change their habits

We've been trying that for years and it's clearly not working. Obesity, diabetes, pre-diabetes, heart disease, diseases of chronic inflammation, etc are all at epidemic levels.

Humans aren't perfect automatons that will make perfect choices if given information. We develop addictions, we prioritize the short-term over the long-term, we get tired and choose what's easy and available.

We should align incentives to better outcomes. We restrict alcohol and nicotine and opioids. Taking steps to reduce the societal harm of sugar is a good thing for society.
2 comments
Philorandroid 1067 days ago
> Humans aren't perfect automatons that will make perfect choices if given information.

And yet, somehow, they will rationally conclude the best financial course to take is to realign to making healthier choices instead of switching to dollar-store sodas or making their own sugary drinks.

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scarygliders 1067 days ago
I think that most people wish to just carry on their lives without interference from nanny-state lovers who just LOVE to dictate to others how they should live their lives.

Seriously, fuck that nonsense. If I choose to lead an unhealthy lifestyle, that' should be my choice - not to be dictated to by "those who know better". Note that I personally choose to minimise the amount of sugar I take. I may also even tut-tut at those whom choose to take all the sugar they want - but what I won't do is waggle fingers at them, nor do I want to utilise taxation - a very, very overused excuse by govts. to rake in more dosh - to discourage people from what "those who know better" want them to be like.

No. real solutions lie in getting manufacturers to reduce sugar and especially HFCS as ingredients in their products. Quite possibly not much can be done about cakes and confectionary in terms of sugar, but there sure is an awful lot of sugar in a lot of other food products.

I absolutely despise authoritarians, everywhere.

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