Taxing caloric sweetened beverages
Subtitle: potential effects on beverage consumption, calorie intake, and obesity
By: Travis A. Smith, Biing-Hwan Lin, Jonq-Ying Lee
Contributors: Lin, Biing-Hwan; Lee, Jonq-Ying; United States. Department of Agriculture. Economic Research Service
Series: Economic research report -- no. 100; Economic research report (United States. Department of Agriculture. Economic Research Service) -- no. 100.
Publisher: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service
Published: 2010
Place of publication: Washington, D.C.]
Language: eng
Format: [electronic resource] :
Number of pages: 25
Subjects: Carbonated beverages; Taxation; Soft drinks; Carbonated Beverages; Statistics; Taxes; Legislation & jurisprudence
Description: The link between high U.S. obesity rates and the overconsumption of added sugars, largely from sodas and fruit drinks, has prompted public calls for a tax on caloric sweetened beverages. Faced with such a tax, consumers may reduce consumption of these sweetened beverages and substitute nontaxed beverages, such as bottled water, juice, and milk. This study estimated that a tax-induced 20-percent price increase on caloric sweetened beverages could cause an average reduction of 37 calories per day, or 3.8 pounds of body weight over a year, for adults and an average of 43 calories per day, or 4.5 pounds over a year, for children. Given these reductions in calorie consumption, results show an estimated decline in adult overweight prevalence (66.9 to 62.4 percent) and obesity prevalence (33.4 to 30.4 percent), as well as the child at-risk-for-overweight prevalence (32.3 to 27.0 percent) and the overweight prevalence (16.6 to 13.7 percent). Actual impacts would depend on many factors, including how the tax is reflected in consumer prices and the competitive strategies of beverage manufacturers and food retailers.
Notes: Title from title screen (viewed on November 12, 2010).

"July 2010."

Includes bibliographical references (p. 19-20).
Table of contents: title: Summary; title: Background; title: Trends in U.S. Beverage Consumption, 1977-2006; title: Consumption of Added Sugars by the American Population; title: Potential Tax-Induced Changes in Calorie Intake From Beverages; title: What Happens to Overweight and Obesity Prevalence?; title: Discussion; title: References; title: Appendix 1: State Beverage Taxes; title: Appendix 2: Beverage Demand Model.