Should We Put a Thin Subsidy on the Policy Table in the Fight against Obesity?

2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Lordan ◽  
John Quiggin
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
The United States ◽  
Soft Drinks ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Sugar Sweetened Beverages ◽  
President Obama ◽  
Sweetened Beverages ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Artificially Sweetened Beverages

The idea of using 'fat taxes’ to curb obesity rates has been raised by many. In particular, the idea of taxing sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has received considerable attention in the United States and has recently been discussed by President Obama. Rather less attention has been given to the alternative of 'thin subsidies’, that is, subsidies for the consumption of foods or beverages likely to be associated with reduced incidence of obesity. This commentary examines the case for a subsidy for artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) or 'diet soft drinks’. In this commentary, we outline the evidence on the relationship between health outcomes, most notably obesity, and the consumption of SSBs and ASBs. In the light of the evidence we consider the economic effects of taxing SSBs, and the way in which those effects would be modified by the adoption of the alternative 'thin subsidy’ based on subsidising ASBs.

scholarly journals Trends in Intake of Energy and Total Sugar from Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in the United States among Children and Adults, NHANES 2003–2016

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadette P. Marriott ◽  
Kelly J. Hunt ◽  
Angela M. Malek ◽  
Jill C. Newman
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The United States ◽  
Soft Drinks ◽  
Total Sugar ◽  
Sugar Sweetened Beverages ◽  
Sugar Intake ◽  
Sweetened Beverages ◽  
Total Diet

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) increases total caloric intake, is linked to cardiometabolic outcomes as well as dental caries, and sugar in SSBs is associated with mortality and frailty among adults. We describe energy and total sugar intake trends among the United States (US) population from SSBs, soft drinks, other beverage groups, and the total diet based on the first 24-h recall data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles (2003–2004 through 2015–2016). SSBs included soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, and fruit drinks, but excluded sports beverages with protein and sweetened teas/coffees. Among the total population (age ≥2 years: 57,026), energy intake from SSBs declined significantly from 183.9 ± 6.9 mean kcal/d (±SE) in 2003–2004 to 95.0 ± 3.5 in 2015–2016, while total sugar intake declined from 43.6 ± 1.7 mean g/d to 22.3 ± 0.8 (p-trend < 0.0001). Decreases were found for energy and total sugar intake, as well as percentage of energy and total sugar intake from SSBs, soft drinks, and all beverages for all age groups examined (≥2, 2–19, ≥20 years) (p-trend < 0.0001). From 2003 to 2016, energy and sugar intake from all beverages, SSBs, soft drinks, and the total diet decreased among the total population, children, and adults.

scholarly journals Mass Media Campaign to Reduce Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in a Rural Area of the United States

2017 ◽  
Vol 107 (6) ◽  
pp. 989-995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A. Farley ◽  
Hayli S. Halper ◽  
Anne M. Carlin ◽  
Karen M. Emmerson ◽  
Kelly N. Foster ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Mass Media ◽  
Rural Area ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mass Media Campaign ◽  
Media Campaign ◽  
Sugar Sweetened Beverages ◽  
Sweetened Beverages

Examining the Relationship Between Incarceration and Population Health: The Roles of Region and Urbanicity

2020 ◽  
pp. 088740342091690
Author(s):  
Robert R. Weidner ◽  
Jennifer Schultz
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Premature Death ◽  
The United States ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Geographic Variations ◽  
Collateral Consequences ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Relationship

Among the myriad collateral consequences of the high level of incarceration in the United States is its detrimental effects on public health. Just as there are geographic variations in level of incarceration within the United States, so too are there variations in health outcomes. This study examines the relationship between incarceration rates and population health for a national sample of counties from 2015, with a focus on how this relationship is influenced by both region (South vs. non-South) and whether a jurisdiction is rural. To obtain unbiased estimates of the effect of incarceration rates on two alternate health outcomes, it employs two-stage least-squares modeling, which accounts for the endogeneity of incarceration rates when determining their effect on population health. Results indicate that level of incarceration has a detrimental effect on both mortality (i.e., premature death) and morbidity (i.e., self-reported health), and that these effects are more pronounced in rural and Southern counties. Implications of these findings for both policy and research are considered.

Economic effects of pharmacists on health outcomes in the United States: A systematic review

2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (19) ◽  
pp. 1624-1634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie A. Chisholm-Burns ◽  
Joshua S. Graff Zivin ◽  
Jeannie Kim Lee ◽  
Christina A. Spivey ◽  
Marion Slack ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Effects

scholarly journals Weight Status and Dietary and Physical Activity Behavior Differences Between Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Children in the U.S.

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 88-93
Author(s):  
Beth Louisa Ellcessor
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
United States ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Hispanic Students ◽  
The United States ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Hispanic Children ◽  
Sugar Sweetened Beverages ◽  
Sweetened Beverages ◽  
The U.S

Background: Hispanic children have a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States.  Acculturation of Hispanics living in the U.S. affects dietary intake and physical activity, thus impacting weight status and health problems related to obesity. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in overweight/obesity and dietary and physical activity behaviors between Hispanic and non-Hispanic children living in the United States.  Methods: Using the 2001-2002 Health Behaviors of School-Aged Children Questionnaire, 6th-10th grade student surveys (n=14,817) were analyzed to compare BMI, consumption of fruits, vegetables, and sugar-sweetened beverages, and levels of physical activity between Hispanic and non-Hispanic subjects. Independent t-test, Oneway ANOVA and Pearson’s Chi-Square provided statistical analysis for the descriptive and research variables. Results: Comparing Hispanic and non-Hispanic students, there was no difference in gender or age, but urbanicity, birth country, home language, and education of mother and father had significant differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic students (p<0.01).  The Hispanic sample had higher rates of overweight and obesity (p<0.001), consumed lower amounts of fruits (p<0.001) and vegetables (p<0.001), consumed higher amounts of sugar-sweetened beverages (p=0.001), and reported being less physically active (p<0.001) compared to non-Hispanic students.  Conclusion: As evidenced by the 2001-2002 HBSC survey, Hispanic children are consuming less fruits and vegetables and more sugar-sweetened beverages, and have lower rates of physical activity compared to non-Hispanic children.  This may be contributing to the higher rates of overweight and obesity found in this population.  These results could be used in the development of childhood obesity interventions involving Hispanic children.

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