Mr Speaker: Order. Before we resume the debate, I believe Dr Amy Khor would like to make a clarification.

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan: Mr Speaker, Sir, although Dr Chia Shi-Lu is not in the House at this point in time, I would like to clarify on the clarification Dr Chia made earlier. I had wanted to do so earlier. This is in regard to his statement about junk food tax: an issue that seems trivial, but I think it would be useful to clarify since ultimately it relates to our health.

My reply earlier does relate to soda and junk food tax, as it is commonly called in other countries. Junk food tax has been implemented in some states in the United States and in Canada on food like pretzels and chips and so on, which I think Dr Chia would agree are considered junk food. There are quite a number of studies made on the relationship between such taxes on junk food and sugared beverages, and the obesity rate. Generally, based on empirical data, it has been found that there is little or minimal relationship between the two.

Second Reading Bills

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