Question

1. Why have some experts suggested a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages as a way of reducing obesity among teenagers? What factors be involved in determining the amount by which obesity is reduced?

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Answer 1

Since the late 1980s the United States has built a vast educational system that is antismoking. Smoking is becoming increasingly less socially acceptable as it is part of a lifestyle choice that is unhealthy, leading to expensive and crippling health problems and rising health care costs for all. Obesity is just as dangerous as being smoking. Therefore, as with smoking, if a patient becomes overweight or obese, such dietary conditions should also alert the patient and health care professional to similar health issues, and society should be prepared to take similar preventive steps.

The Proposed Soda Tax was a fair public health idea. While individuals who pay higher taxes may object to this guided tax, the situation is similar to when taxes on cigarettes were raised to minimize smoking. The outcome for the nation was less smoking, and improved health. The expected result in this case is less consumption of sugary beverages. The costs of obesity to the U.S. economy are large and are that, just as the smoking costs have been large. Obesity is associated with an rise in health care spending of 36 per cent, more than smoking or alcohol issues.

Just as a tobacco tax has helped to reduce the number of smokers and deaths from smoking, a tax on high-calorie, sugar-sweetened drinks will help to reduce the incidence of obesity and medical problems linked to obesity, such as type 2 diabetes. One reason against such a tax is that it is regressive, which would affect people with low incomes more than people with high incomes. Low-income people, however, may be more price-sensitive, more likely to decrease consumption of taxed sugar-sweetened drinks, and therefore more likely to benefit from this measure for public health.

The sweetened tax on drinks is consistent with the social reinforcement of such behaviours. Essentially, this tax will save money for burdened citizens by decreasing the incidence of obesity which in turn will decrease the medical costs of the country and increase the productivity of the country. A levy on drinks sweetened with sugar is a good public policy.