Obesity: raising price of sugary snacks may be more effective than soft drink tax

Increasing the price of sugary snacks such as biscuits, cakes, and sweets could be more effective at cutting obesity levels than increasing the price of sugar sweetened drinks, says a study published in The BMJ.1

The modelling study estimated the potential effect on body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of obesity from a 20% price increase for high sugar snacks. It found that the effect on prevalence (2.7 percentage points) was double the level from a similar price increase on sugar sweetened drinks (1.3 percentage points).

In April 2018 the UK’s soft drinks industry levy came into effect, with an 18p/L tax on drinks containing ≥5 g/mL of sugar and 24p/L on those with ≥8 g/mL. …