Can a tax on sugary drinks reduce obesity?
The results show that a 20% tax on SSBs would result in an average 12.6% decline in daily consumption of SSBs, and a decline in obesity of 2.7% in men and 1.2% in women over a lifetime. The study concluded that there would be sustained reductions in the incidence of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers.
Do soda taxes reduce obesity?
Nowhere in the world, let alone the United States, have soda taxes reduced obesity. In 2017, the New Zealand Institute for Economic Research reviewed 47 studies investigating the effectiveness of sugar taxes. In Berkeley, researchers claimed soda purchases dropped 9.6 percent one year after the tax was implemented.
Why sugary drinks should be taxed?
A tax on sugary drinks can help: Raises revenue for important programs like healthier food in schools, increasing access to healthy food for low income people, initiatives to prevent diabetes and other chronic diseases, education campaigns about sugary drinks and healthy eating, and universal pre-k.
How effective are sugar taxes?
A 25% increase in the price of sugar-sweetened beverages resulting from higher excise taxes would likely lead to a 34% reduction in consumption of these drinks, the study shows.
Does taxing sugary drinks work?
Taxation on sugary drinks is an effective intervention to reduce sugar consumption (8). Evidence shows that a tax on sugary drinks that rises prices by 20% can lead to a reduction in consumption of around 20%, thus preventing obesity and diabetes(9).
Is the sugar tax a law?
Conclusion: A Legal But Insufficient Measure In principle, sugar taxes are not illegal, and they do make sense in general terms. However, they are a highly limited tax measure. First, they typically only target sugary drinks, which represent only a small fraction of the total sugar intake of the average person.
Who pays the sugar tax?
Officially called the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL), the tax puts a charge of 24p on drinks containing 8g of sugar per 100ml and 18p a litre on those with 5-8g of sugar per 100ml, directly payable by manufacturers to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Is soda tax a good idea?
Soda Taxes Are a ‘No-Brainer’ for Public Health, Says the Author of a New Study on Them. A new JAMA study suggests taxing sugary drinks really can make people buy fewer of them, potentially translating to better public health. Studies conducted in places that have enacted soda taxes, such as Berkeley, Calif.
Why a sugar tax is bad?
It seems straightforward: Taxing sugary beverages makes them more expensive, reducing consumption and leading would-be soda-guzzlers to lead healthier lives. Obesity declines, as do the myriad health conditions associated with a sugar-rich diet.
What are the benefits of sugary drinks?
We found clear associations of soft drink intake with increased energy intake and body weight. Soft drink intake also was associated with lower intakes of milk, calcium, and other nutrients and with an increased risk of several medical problems (e.g., diabetes).
How many countries have a sugar tax?
About 50 countries have implemented taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages to date.
Has the UK sugar tax worked?
These findings show that the UK’s sugar tax is working exactly as intended – and offer lessons for other countries exploring strategic regulatory options to promote healthier diets, say researchers at the George Institute for Global Health, in a linked editorial.
Why do we need a tax on sugary drinks?
• Taxation on sugary drinks is an effective intervention to reduce sugar consumption (8). • Evidence shows that a tax on sugary drinks that rises prices by 20% can lead to a reduction in consumption of around 20%, thus preventing obesity and diabetes(9). Savings on healthcare • Estimates suggest that, over 10 years, a tax on sugary
Can a tax on sugar make a dent in obesity?
An increasing number of cities and countries have begun taxing sugary beverages. But can raising the price of these drinks really make a dent in obesity, diabetes and other ailments? They’re cloyingly sweet, nutritionally empty — and, increasingly, subject to taxation.
Is there a sugar tax in the UK?
Recently, the ‘sugar tax’ on fizzy drinks came into force in the UK. Might it signal the end of our love affair with all things sweet? The Telegraph travels to Mexico, where cola consumption per capita – and obesity rates – are among the highest in the world. Photographs by Jordi Ruiz Cirera.
How does a sugar tax help with obesity?
Finally, the tax may enable a government to bring in more revenue which can then be spent on fighting obesity, such as on school exercise programmes, although this only applies if reformulation does not take place. It is fair to say the soda companies, publicly at least, do not see things the same way.
