Sugar, salt and fat ...the classic triumvirate. In an economy of scarcity, we crave them in order to survive.
 In an economy of plenty, we still crave them but it will slowly kill us. I am an older person with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure - both lifestyle diseases. 
When we are young we think that we are invincible and will live forever - as I did. The industrial food system is about sales and profit - hence they have sold us on convenience and entice us with sugar, salt and fat. Go through any grocery store and the only place you will not find foods laced with added sugar, salt and fat is in the unprocessed meats and vegetables - but they are not convenient! Who has the time to cook anymore - we are all working too long and too hard. 
Its a catch 22 if there ever was one and a simple tax on sugary drinks is only addressing the symptoms not the disease. This is a much larger societal problem here that needs addressing or we will all die of diabetes and hypertension.