Nutrition

March 2, 2010

In Support of a Soda Tax…

I generally don’t get political in this blog–after all, my focus is on the science of fitness, not the world of politics. However, a recent issue here in New York has motivated me to take up a cause. Namely, New York governor David Patterson has proposed a tax on soda and other sugary beverages. The tax would encompass soft drinks, energy drinks, sports beverages, and various juices and iced teas; sugar-free diet soft drinks would not be affected. It is estimated that such a tax would bring in about $1 billion over the course of a fiscal year, enough to make a significant dent in New York State’s $8.2 billion budget deficit. My only question: what took so long?

Predictably, beverage makers are up in arms over the bill. The American Beverage Association is lobbying hard to rally opposition against it. They have created an organization called American’s Against Food Taxes and set up the No Beverage Tax website where readers are encouraged to sign a petition against the governor’s proposal. They profess that tax against soda is discriminatory. They imply it is Un-American, harmful to the poor consumer who is overburdened by the recession. Before any tears well up, let’s get real here. We’re talking about making people pay a few cents more for something they shouldn’t be drinking in the first place. Here’s a simple solution for those who feel this causes financial hardship: switch to tap water–it’s free and has no calories!

Make no mistake, sweetened beverages, particularly sodas, are a major threat to public health. These beverages have no nutrient density whatsoever. Zilch! They epitomize the term “empty calories.” Worse, they are digested very quickly into your blood stream, and therefore don’t satisfy hunger—a fact that can lead to overeating. What’s more, they elicit a rapid spike in blood sugar levels, which in itself can lead to excess fat storage as well as increasing sugar cravings. And on top of everything, they’re bad for your teeth, too!

In a recent review of research appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine, Brownell and Frieden (1) reported that consumption of sugary beverages is associated with increases in body weight, poor dietary habits, and an elevated risk of obesity and diabetes. Conversely, a reduced consumption of these beverages has a positive effect on health and wellness. But that’s not the worst of it…

Soft drinks companies focus a great deal of their marketing efforts on children and adolescents, so much so that sugared beverages now comprise 10 to 15% of the calories they consume. It is estimated that each additional glass a child drinks increases his/her likelihood of becoming obese by approximately 60%. Given the epidemic of childhood obesity and its ramifications (approximately one-third of all children in New York State are classified as overweight or obese), this is something that needs to be addressed. Soon!

The real question, then, is whether a soda tax would have any impact on consumption? Evidence suggests it would. Research published in the American Journal of Public Health shows that taxes on cigarettes have substantially curbed the rate of smoking in America (2). What’s more, larger tax increases were associated with larger smoking declines, with the greatest effect seen in youth, minorities, and low-income smokers. This bodes well for the effectiveness of a tax on sugary beverages.

In their article, Brownell and Frieden estimate that for every 10% increase in price, soda consumption decreases by 7.8%. They quote an industry trade publication report that shows even greater price sensitivity: a 12% increase in the price of Coca-Cola resulted in a 14.6% drop in sales. These statistics provide powerful support to the belief that a soda tax would decrease consumption of sugary beverages. If so, this would reduce caloric intake, leading to better weight management for millions of Americans.

An essential aspect of any soda tax is that revenues must go toward offsetting health care costs (the money collected from the proposed tax in New York would be targeted for an existing pool that funds the state’s health expenses). The medical expenses associated with overweight and obesity are staggering. Taxpayers assume the majority of these costs through Medicare and Medicaid. This clearly is unjust. Why should those who watch their diet and maintain their health pay for those who don’t? If a person wishes to consume sugary beverages, that is certainly his right. But he then should be responsible for bearing the costs associated with his decision, not the taxpayers.

Bottom line is that a tax on sodas and other sugary beverages is an idea whose time has come. It will help to make us healthier as a nation, and transfer some of the economic burden of skyrocketing medical costs to those who don’t assume responsibility for their own health. Perhaps the success of such a tax in New York will motivate congress to pass a national tax on sodas and sweetened beverages. And perhaps then, despite the protests from special interest groups, we’ll have a healthier nation because of it.

Stay Fit!

Brad

1) Brownell KD, Frieden TR. Ounces of prevention–the public policy case for taxes on sugared beverages. N Engl J Med. 2009 Apr 30;360(18):1805-8.
2) Peterson DE, Zeger SL, Remington PL, Anderson HA. The effect of state cigarette tax increases on cigarette sales, 1955 to 1988. Am J Public Health. 1992 Jan;82(1):94-6.