Taxing Caloric Sweetened Beverages: Potential Effects on Beverage Consumption, Calorie Intake, and Obesity

Download or read book Taxing Caloric Sweetened Beverages: Potential Effects on Beverage Consumption, Calorie Intake, and Obesity written by Travis A. Smith and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2010-11 with total page 33 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The link between high U.S. obesity rates and the over-consumption of added sugars, largely from sodas and fruit drinks, has prompted calls for a tax on caloric sweetened beverages (CSB). Faced with a tax, consumers may reduce consumption of these CSB and substitute non-taxed beverages, such as bottled water, juice, and milk. A tax-induced 20% price increase on CSB could cause an average reduction of 3.8 pounds of body weight over a year, for adults and an average of 4.5 pounds over a year, for children. Given these reductions in calorie consumption, results show an estimated decline in adult overweight prevalence and obesity prevalence, as well as the child at-risk-for-overweight prevalence and the overweight prevalence. Charts and tables.