Dental News - Dentists continue their push for a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages

Dental Tribune International

Thu. 4. April 2019

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AUCKLAND, New Zealand: The results of a recently published study have indicated that the introduction of a tax on sugar-laden beverages could reduce the consumption of such beverages by up to 50 per cent within only three years. The New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) has therefore called on government bodies once again to implement a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax, as excessive consumption of sugary drinks is one of the main causes of dental caries, among other health problems.

A team of researchers tracked the drinking habits of residents of low-income and diverse neighbourhoods in Berkeley in California in the US after the enactment of an excise tax on sugar-laden beverages in early 2015. The so-called street intercept surveys revealed a steep drop in SSB consumption in Berkeley between 2014 and 2017. The decrease was seen overall for sugary drinks, and specifically for soft drinks like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade, and sweetened teas and coffees.

In response to these results, the NZDA stated that it will continue to advocate for a sugary drink tax, which is in line with World Health Organization guidelines. “We have been saying this for a number of years now: a sugary drink tax can reduce consumption. Even more specifically, we’ve been talking about Berkeley for a couple of years too,” said Dr Rob Beaglehole, NZDA spokesperson on sugary drinks.

Back in 2017, NZDA commented on another study in PLOS Medicine, which reported a 10 per cent decrease in SSB sales after the introduction of the tax on 1 March 2015. “This further drop to 50 per cent shows the impact that a sugary drink tax can have. Prevention is an area that we cannot forget about with oral health, and it is especially important with sugary drinks. As dentists, we see first-hand the damage caused to teeth from the over-consumption of sugary drinks,” said Beaglehole.

According to the new study, SSB taxation may be an effective preventative measure against diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Considering the profound effects it may have on oral and overall public health, NZDA considers the taxation imperative. “By all means a sugary drinks tax is not the only measure, but it would be straightforward to introduce, and all the emerging evidence points toward it having an impact of reducing sugary drink consumption, which long-term can reduce the harm that we are seeing from high-sugar drinks,” said Beaglehole.

The new study, titled “Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption 3 years after the Berkeley, California, sugar-sweetened beverage tax”, was published in the April 2019 issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

The study on post-tax decrease in SSB sales, titled “Changes in prices, sales, consumer spending, and beverage consumption one year after a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in Berkeley, California, US: A before-and-after study”, was published online on 18 April 2017 in PLOS Medicine.

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