Potential Impact of Sweetener Input Tax on Public Health

Excerpt

Obesity is a complex health issue in the United States of America (USA) and around the world. In USA, obesity affects a 78.6 million population at an estimated annual medical cost of about US$147 million in 2008 [1]. In 2011, approximately 63.2% of the US population is either obese or overweight, compared with 64.8% in 2016 [2].¹ The percent of US adolescents who are either obese or overweight has increased from 24.1% in 2001 to 29.9% in 2015 [2]. During the 2007–15 period, the percent of US adolescents that are obese or overweight has slightly increased from 28.4% in 2007 to 29.9% in 2015 [2]. During the same period, the percent of US adolescents who consumed sugary drinks at least once a day has decreased from 33.8% in 2007 to 20.4% in 2015 [2]. …