Britain’s doctors are lobbying for the government to impose a 20 per cent tax on all sugar-sweetened drinks to pay for subsidies on fruits and vegetables and also combat the rising obesity rate within the United Kingdom.

“While sugar-sweetened drinks are very high in calories they are of limited nutritional value and when people in the UK are already consuming far too much sugar, we are increasingly concerned about how they contribute towards conditions like diabetes,” said Professor Sheila Hollins, chairperson of the British Medical Association, board of science.

With the UK facing the surge of an obesity epidemic, doctors believe that this action will result in a slowing obesity rate.

However, if the government was to impose the 20% tax, it would present some difficulties.

The Director-General of The Food and Drink Federation expressed his concerns. He said: “Many foods and drinks are already taxed at 20%. Where additional taxes have been introduced they’ve not proven effective at driving long-term, lasting change to diets”.

In 2013, the Mexican government announced plan for a tax on sugary drinks to curb Mexico’s obesity epidemic.

President Pena Nieto said Mexicans would 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 country.

Mexico rivals the United States as one of the world’s most obese nation.