Soda Tax Reduces Consumption of Regular Sodas

Many public officials and policy makers in the United States have been pushing for a tax on foods considered to be unhealthy. While much of America is opposed to such a tax, research exploring the effectiveness of such a strategy continues to give the concept traction.

A new study from Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital reports that imposing a tax on regular sodas reduced consumption of regular sodas in the hospital.  For this study, researchers measured soda purchases at their normal price before the study started.  They then imposed three primary interventions: a 35% tax on regular sodas, an educational program about the benefits of drinking zero-calorie alternatives, and a combination of the 35% tax with the educational program.  The results of the study showed that:

• Regular soft drink sales dropped by 26% during the price increase phase of the study.
• The education program by itself had no effect on sales.
• Combining the 35% tax with the education program reduced sales of regular sodas by an additional 18%.

While many of us clearly do not want to hear these kind of results, it appears that taxing unhealthy foods might be an effective way to help us change our dietary habits.  An earlier study conducted in two Dutch cities reported that consumers preferred strategies that encouraged healthy eating, reduced the price of healthy foods, and educated the public with appropriate marketing messages.  Despite this preference, other studies have reported that decreasing prices of healthy foods did NOT alter the nutritional value of consumers' dietary intake. 

While research studies are suggesting that taxing unhealthy foods might be effective, a recent Harris Poll clearly shows that the majority of Americans are opposed to such a tax.  According to this poll, 56% of the population are opposed to such a tax, 31% are supportive, and 13% are not sure.  If a tax on unhealthy foods becomes reality, it is likely that additional changes will still be necessary.  Attacking the obesity problem has to be done on multiple fronts, so such things as improving public health messages and reducing serving sizes at restaurants should still be part of solution.

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