Sugary drink tax improves health, lowers healthcare costs

A new study from the University of California, San Francisco and the University of California, Berkeley found that Oaklanders bought less sugary drinks since the local “soda tax” went into effect, which improved their health and helped the city. It turns out that you are likely saving a lot of money.

according to study Issued on April 18 pros medicine, Between the 1 cent per ounce tax that took effect in July 2017 and December 31, 2019, purchases of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) fell by 26.8%.

The study comes just over a year after the National Commission on Clinical Care (NCCC), established by Congress to advise on diabetes policy.Recommended Legislators imposing a national tax on sugary drinks. It’s been five years since the California legislature barred cities and counties from imposing new taxes on his SSB despite existing tax exemptions in Oakland, San Francisco, Berkeley and Albany. rice field.

“These results suggest that the SSB tax can meaningfully improve diet and health and generate significant cost savings over a sustained period of time, all of which support the national tax claim on the SSB. there is,” he said. Dean Schillinger, MD, professor of medicine at UCSF, senior author of the study, and co-chair of the NCCC. “The American Beverage Association has cornered the California legislature to pass legislation banning the addition of SSB taxes within the state. We have evidence that it is possible, and we hope that state and national level legislators will act on these findings.”

Professor, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley Christine Madsen co-author of the study.

More cost-effective than smoke-free workplaces

Researchers compared sugary drink purchases in Oakland to purchases in nearby Richmond, Calif., and Los Angeles, which have no drink tax. They looked at consumer behavior in these cities during his 30 months before and after the tax went into effect on July 1, 2017.

We then used computer modeling to estimate how reduced SSB purchases would affect community health. It is measured in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). QALY is the year of perfect health. They also calculated medical savings from preventing or managing SSB-related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and periodontal disease.

Researchers found that 26.8% less consumption of SSB over a 10-year period would add 94 QALYs per 10,000 inhabitants, saving the city more than $100,000 per 10,000 inhabitants in health care costs, with benefits expected to increase over a lifetime. has discovered. They found no evidence that consumers crossed the border to purchase sugary drinks at nearby non-taxed locations, or purchased sugary snacks in lieu of taxed SSB.

“Our estimates suggest that the tax is at least as cost-effective as other widely recognized public health measures, such as smoke-free workplace policies and air pollution control measures.” lead author says: Justin WhitePhD, Associate Professor of Health Economics Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies at UCSF.

In Auckland, purchases of all types of SSB decreased by 23.1% for sweetened sodas, 30.4% for fruit drinks, 42.4% for sports drinks and 24.4% for sweetened teas. Purchase declines were similar for personal and family products, as well as for low-income and high-income regions.

“Surveys of other cities in the United States have shown similar declines in SSB purchases,” says Schillinger. “The lasting impact of the Auckland tax is particularly significant.

Current research may underestimate the health benefits of SSB taxes. This is because investigators have not accounted for the positive impact of local nutrition and public health programs funded by Auckland tax revenues.

growing trend

As of 2021, seven U.S. cities and more than 35 countries have introduced SSB taxes to reduce the risk of chronic diet-sensitive diseases and increase government revenue for health promotion.

Past studies have found that consuming sugary beverages increases the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. UCSF research The SSB tax in five cities, including Auckland, was found to significantly reduce the risk of maternal diabetes and unhealthy weight gain during pregnancy. It also reduced the risk of having a baby that was too small.

Previous studies have found that the SSB tax leads to short-term purchases and reduced SSB intake, but this is consistent with other purchasing behaviors such as ‘alternative’ purchases of sugary snacks. It is the first study to investigate a significant decline and one of the first to assess it. Cost-effectiveness.

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In addition to Schillinger, White, and Madsen, authors include Sanjay Basu from Waymark Health, Scott Kaplan from the U.S. Naval Academy’s Department of Economics, and Sofia Villas-Boas from UC Berkeley’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

Funding: This work was supported by grants from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01 DK116852 and 2P30 DK092924), the California Foundation, the UCSF Diabetes Families Fund, and the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. . Health promotion (U18DP006526).

Disclosure: See the paper for a full list of disclosures.