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Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Type 2 Diabetes and Factual Causation in Negligence
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Type 2 Diabetes and Factual Causation in Negligence

Zac Smithers and Jay Sanderson
Journal of Law and Medicine, Vol.27(2), pp.387-398
2019
url
http://sites.thomsonreuters.com.au/journals/category/journal-of-law-and-medicine/View
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Abstract

Medical and Health Sciences Law and Legal Studies Philosophy and Religious Studies sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) factual causation negligence necessary condition necessary element type 2 diabetes
In this article we consider whether sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) (factually) cause type 2 diabetes for the purposes of negligence. In so doing we demonstrate how factual causation is confounded by other contributing factors such as genetics, lack of physical activity and other diet behaviours (eg low-fibre and high-fat diets). That said, a plaintiff is not necessarily deprived of the opportunity to prove causation merely because there are multiple contributing factors to the harm. While difficult, it is possible for type 2 diabetes to be categorised as an "exceptional circumstance", in which it must be shown that SSBs "materially contributed" to or were a "necessary element" of, the development of type 2 diabetes.

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