Australia can no longer afford to wait for a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages
Excess free sugars are a major contributor to diet-related diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay. Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) provide a significant source of free sugars while offering no other nutritional benefit, making them a reasonable target for public health action.1,2 Governments worldwide are drawing on growing evidence to implement effective pricing policies for SSBs as one cornerstone of a comprehensive policy response.
The full article is accessible to AMA members and paid subscribers. Login to read more or purchase a subscription now.
Please note: institutional and Research4Life access to the MJA is now provided through Wiley Online Library.
- 1. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Health Survey: consumption of added sugars, 2011–12. Report no. 4363.0.55.011. Canberra: ABS, 2016. http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4364.0.55.011 (viewed May 2018).
- 2. World Health Organization. Reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages to reduce the risk of childhood overweight and obesity. WHO, 2014. http://www.who.int/elena/titles/commentary/ssbs_childhood_obesity/en (viewed May 2018).
- 3. Colagiuri S. The obesity epidemic and sugar-sweetened beverages: a taxing time. Med J Aust 2017; 206: 109-110. <MJA full text>
- 4. Backholer K, Blake M, Vandevijvere S. Sugar-sweetened beverage taxation: an update on the year that was 2017. Public Health Nutr 2017; 20: 3219-3224.
- 5. Hagenaars LL, Jeurissen PPT, Klazinga NS. The taxation of unhealthy energy-dense foods (EDFs) and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs): an overview of patterns observed in the policy content and policy context of 13 case studies. Health Policy 2017; 121: 887-894.
- 6. World Health Organization. “Best Buys” and other recommended interventions for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases. Updated (2017) Appendix 3 of the Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2013–2020. WHO, 2017. http://www.who.int/ncds/management/WHO_Appendix_BestBuys.pdf (viewed Apr 2018).
- 7. Guerrero-López CM, Molina M, Colchero MA. Employment changes associated with the introduction of taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages and nonessential energy-dense food in Mexico. Prev Med 2017; 105: S43-S49.
- 8. Hawkes C, Alderman H, Chaloupka F, et al. Principles behind evaluations of national food and beverage taxes and other regulatory efforts. Obes Rev 2017; 18: 1374-1375.
- 9. Crino M, Herrera AMM, Ananthapavan J, et al. Modelled cost-effectiveness of a package size cap and a kilojoule reduction intervention to reduce energy intake from sugar-sweetened beverages in Australia. Nutrients 2017; 9: 983.
- 10. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. A picture of overweight and obesity in Australia 2017 (AIHW Cat. No. PHE 216). Canberra: AIHW, 2017. https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/172fba28-785e-4a08-ab37-2da3bbae40b8/aihw-phe-216.pdf.aspx?inline=true (viewed May 2018).
- 11. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Overweight and obesity in Australia: a birth cohort analysis (AIHW Cat. No. PHE 215). Canberra: AIHW, 2017. https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/be8da99a-46d1-4d27-a391-c057e30d3299/aihw-phe-215.pdf.aspx?inline=true (viewed Apr 2018).
- 12. Hopcraft MS, Beaumont S. The growing problems of dental caries and obesity: an Australian perspective. Br Dent J 2016; 221: 379-381.
- 13. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: Chrisopoulos S, Harford JE, Ellershaw A. Oral health and dental care in Australia: key facts and figures 2015 (AIHW Cat. No. DEN 229). Canberra: AIHW; 2016. https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/57922dca-62f3-4bf7-9ddc-6d8e550c7c58/19000.pdf.aspx?inline=true (viewed Apr 2018).
- 14. Cobiac LJ, Tam K, Veerman L, Blakely T. Taxes and subsidies for improving diet and population health in Australia: a cost-effectiveness modelling study. PLoS Med 2017; 14: e1002232.
- 15. Nomaguchi T, Cunich M, Zapata-Diomedi B, et al. The impact on productivity of a hypothetical tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. Health Policy. 2017; 121: 715-725.
- 16. Lal A, Mantilla-Herrera AM, Veerman L, et al. Modelled health benefits of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax across different socioeconomic groups in Australia: a cost-effectiveness and equity analysis. PLoS Med 2017; 14: e1002326.
- 17. Obesity Policy Coalition and GLOBE Obesity, editors. Tipping the Scales: Australian Obesity Prevention Consensus. Melbourne. 2017. http://www.opc.org.au/what-we-do/tipping-the-scales (viewed Apr 2018).
- 18. Australian Medical Association. Position statement: nutrition. Canberra: AMA, 2018. https://ama.com.au/position-statement/nutrition-2018 (viewed Apr 2018).
- 19. Bickers C. Malcolm Turnbull rejects joint calls for a sugar tax to counter Australia’s obesity crisis. News.com.au 2017; 19 Sept. http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/malcolm-turnbull-rejects-joint-calls-for-a-sugar-tax-to-counter-australias-obesity-crisis/news-story/4d55a3ae43f540634605eaac7135e8c5 (viewed Apr 2018).
- 20. Australian Beverages Council. Annual Report 2016. Australian Beverages Council, 2017. http://www.smh.com.au/cqstatic/gz7s0g/annualreport.pdf (viewed Apr 2018).
- 21. Editors. We tax alcohol, pokies and cigarettes — sugar is long overdue The Sydney Morning Herald 2018; 1 Jan. https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/we-tax-alcohol-pokies-and-cigarettes–sugar-is-long-overdue-20171231-h0bti4.html (viewed Apr 2018).
- 22. AMP Capital. Corporate Governance Report, March 2017. AMP Capital, 2017. http://www.ampcapital.com.au/AMPCapitalAU/media/contents/Articles/ESG%20and%20Responsible%20Investment/2017-march-full-year-report.pdf (viewed Apr 2018).
- 23. Essential Research. The Essential report: January 16, 2018. http://www.essentialvision.com.au/sugar-tax (viewed Apr 2018).
- 24. Baker P, Jones A, Thow AM. Accelerating the worldwide adoption of sugar-sweetened beverage taxes: strengthening commitment and capacity; comment on “The untapped power of soda taxes: incentivizing consumers, generating revenue, and altering corporate behavior”. Int J Health Policy Manag 2018; 7: 474-478.
- 25. Moodie R, Stuckler D, Monteiro C, et al. Profits and pandemics: prevention of harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food and drink industries. Lancet 2013; 381: 670-679.
- 26. Thow AM, Downs SM, Mayes C, et al. Fiscal policy to improve diets and prevent noncommunicable diseases: from recommendations to action. Bull World Health Organ 2018; 96: 201-210.
- 27. Australian Sugar Milling Council. Australian Sugarcane Industry Overview [website]. Australian Sugar Milling Council, 2018. https://asmc.com.au/industry-overview (viewed Apr 2018).
- 28. Productivity Commission. Trade and Assistance Review, 2015–16. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2017. https://www.pc.gov.au/research/ongoing/trade-assistance/2015-16/trade-assistance-review-2015-16.pdf (viewed Apr 2018).
We thank Thomas Goodwin for his support in the research of this article. The views, opinions and positions expressed in this article are the authors’ own and do not reflect the views of any third party.
No relevant disclosures.