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Sugar tax to ‘save our children’, cancer patients to be hit by benefit cuts and bananas ‘can cure flu’

The Prime Minister has come under pressure from NHS chief executive Simon Stevens to consider a sugar tax to ‘save our children’, the Times reports.

Although David Cameron does not want to follow advice from a PHE report suggesting higher taxing on sugar could reduce obesity, papers say he is under pressure from top experts to change his mind.

Mr Stevens was quoted by the Times as saying: ’This report is a forensic and far-reaching call to arms in our country’s fight against obesity. We now need to see comprehensive action, informed by this carefully assembled evidence of what will actually work. The health of our children, and the future of our health service, depends on it.’

The Government’s proposed benefit changes may push cash-strapped patients battling cancer over the financial edge, cancer charity Macmillan has warned.

Macmillan public affairs head Ellie Rose told the Guardian: ‘When someone has cancer they suffer from a double financial whammy. Their income goes down at the same time as their costs go up… These people are already suffering…and [the Welfare Reform and Work Bill] will risk putting them over the edge.’

Over at the Daily Express, there’s some great news about bananas. Apparently the yellow staple is a ‘wonder fruit’ that has properties to cure illnesses including the flu and common cold.

Unfortunately, just eating it is not enough but chemists think they may be able use a protein found in the fruit to develop cures for these illnesses as well as ebola and HIV, say the paper.

 


          

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