(Press-News.org) Contact information: Stephanie Burns
sburns@bmj.com
44-020-738-36529
BMJ-British Medical Journal
A 20 percent sugary drink tax would cut number of UK obese adults by 180,000
As biggest consumers, under 30s likely to be most affected
A 20% tax on sugar sweetened drinks would reduce the number of UK adults who are obese by 180,000 (1.3%) and who are overweight by 285,000 (0.9%), suggests a study published on bmj.com today.
Although this is a relatively modest effect, people aged 16-29 years, as the major consumers of sugar sweetened drinks, would be impacted the most, say the authors.
Regular consumption of sugar sweetened drinks increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay. The idea of a sugar sweetened drink tax as one way to reduce consumption and raise revenue is gaining traction in the UK, but its effect on health remains uncertain.
So researchers at the universities of Oxford and Reading set out to estimate the effect of a 20% tax on sugar sweetened drinks on obesity in the UK – and to understand the health effect on different income groups.
Using data from surveys of dietary purchases, the price of drinks, and body weight, they estimate that a 20% sales tax on sugar sweetened drinks would reduce the number of obese adults in the UK by 180,000 (1.3%) and the number who are overweight by 285,000 (0.9%).
The health gains would be similar across all income groups, but would decline with age. As the major consumers of sugar sweetened drinks, young people (under the age of 30 years) would experience the greatest reductions in obesity.
The tax would be expected to raise £276m (€326m; $442m) annually (around 8p per person per week) and would reduce consumption of sugar sweetened drinks by around 15%.
This revenue, say the authors, "could be used to increase NHS funding during a period of budget restrictions or to subsidise foods with health benefits, such as fruit and vegetables."
They conclude that taxation of sugar sweetened drinks "is a promising population measure to target population obesity, particularly among younger adults." But they stress that it "should not be seen as a panacea" and say further work is needed to clarify the level (and patterns) of sugar sweetened drink consumption in the UK.
In an accompanying editorial, Jason Block, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School in the US, says this study provides evidence that a 20% tax on sugary drinks can work – and he calls on more countries "to implement high taxes and measure the results."
A proposal by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges calling for the UK to pilot and monitor the effect of a one year 20% tax on sugary drinks "would be a good start," he says.
"Econometric modelling studies are important and helpful but provide projections rather than measures after actual policy change. We now need policy makers to act and provide opportunities for real world evidence on a 20% tax on sugar sweetened drinks," he concludes.
###
Research: Overall and income specific effect on prevalence of overweight and obesity of 20% sugar sweetened drink tax in UK: econometric and comparative risk assessment modelling study
Editorial: A substantial tax on sugar sweetened drinks could help reduce obesity
A 20 percent sugary drink tax would cut number of UK obese adults by 180,000
As biggest consumers, under 30s likely to be most affected
2013-11-01
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Important breakthrough in identifying effect of epilepsy treatment
2013-11-01
Important breakthrough in identifying effect of epilepsy treatment
50 years after valproate was first discovered, research published today in the journal Neurobiology of Disease, reports how the drug works to block seizure progression.
Valproate (variously ...
Stem cell scarring aids recovery from spinal cord injury
2013-11-01
Stem cell scarring aids recovery from spinal cord injury
VIDEO:
The animation shows a simplified view of lesion development after spinal cord injuries in mice, with and ...
CU-Boulder-led team gets first look at diverse life below rare tallgrass prairies
2013-11-01
CU-Boulder-led team gets first look at diverse life below rare tallgrass prairies
America's once-abundant tallgrass prairies—which have all but disappeared—were home to dozens of species of grasses that could grow to the height of a man, hundreds of ...
Microsatellite DNA analysis reveals genetic change of P. vivax in Korea, 2002-2003
2013-11-01
Microsatellite DNA analysis reveals genetic change of P. vivax in Korea, 2002-2003
Continual reintroduction of P. vivax from North Korea could be the cause of change
Malaria is one of the major infectious diseases transmitted by mosquitos, with enormous impact on ...
Study tracks risk of VL exposure in Brazil's urban areas
2013-11-01
Study tracks risk of VL exposure in Brazil's urban areas
Analysis could apply to tracking infection risks in other urban areas
Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe chronic systemic disease caused by the protozoa (Leishmania infantum) in South America, the Mediterranean, ...
Can an oil bath solve the mysteries of the quantum world?
2013-11-01
Can an oil bath solve the mysteries of the quantum world?
For the past eight years, two French researchers have been bouncing droplets around a vibrating oil bath and observing their unique behaviour. What sounds like a high-school experiment has in fact provided ...
Racism linked with gun ownership and opposition to gun control in white Americans
2013-11-01
Racism linked with gun ownership and opposition to gun control in white Americans
A new study has found that higher levels of racism in white Americans is associated with having a gun in the home and greater opposition to gun control policies.
The ...
Public health policies and practices may negatively affect marginalized populations
2013-11-01
Public health policies and practices may negatively affect marginalized populations
Author says it's important for public health officials to speak to populations that will be affected by a public health policy or program
TORONTO, Oct. 29, 2013--Despite the ...
NIH scientists develop candidate vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus
2013-11-01
NIH scientists develop candidate vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus
Structure-based design may be key to successful vaccine for common childhood illness
An experimental vaccine to protect against respiratory ...
A new way to monitor induced comas
2013-11-01
A new way to monitor induced comas
Automated system could offer better control of patients' brain states
CAMBRIDGE, Mass-- After suffering a traumatic brain injury, patients are often placed in a coma to give the brain time to heal and allow dangerous ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Scientists trace origins of now extinct plant population from volcanically active Nishinoshima
AI algorithm based on routine mammogram + age can predict women’s major cardiovascular disease risk
New hurdle seen to prostate screening: primary-care docs
MSU researchers explore how virtual sports aid mental health
Working together, cells extend their senses
Cheese fungi help unlock secrets of evolution
Researchers find brain region that fuels compulsive drinking
Mental health effects of exposure to firearm violence persist long after direct exposure
Research identifies immune response that controls Oropouche infection and prevents neurological damage
University of Cincinnati, Kent State University awarded $3M by NSF to share research resources
Ancient DNA reveals deeply complex Mastodon family and repeated migrations driven by climate change
Measuring the quantum W state
Researchers find a way to use antibodies to direct T cells to kill Cytomegalovirus-infected cells
Engineers create mini microscope for real-time brain imaging
Funding for training and research in biological complexity
The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: September 12, 2025
ISSCR statement on the scientific and therapeutic value of human fetal tissue research
Novel PET tracer detects synaptic changes in spinal cord and brain after spinal cord injury
Wiley advances Knowitall Solutions with new trendfinder application for user-friendly chemometric analysis and additional enhancements to analytical workflows
Benchmark study tracks trends in dog behavior
OpenAI, DeepSeek, and Google vary widely in identifying hate speech
Research spotlight: Study identifies a surprising new treatment target for chronic limb threatening ischemia
Childhood loneliness and cognitive decline and dementia risk in middle-aged and older adults
Parental diseases of despair and suicidal events in their children
Acupuncture for chronic low back pain in older adults
Acupuncture treatment improves disabling effects of chronic low back pain in older adults
How interstellar objects similar to 3I/ATLAS could jump-start planet formation around infant stars
Rented e-bicycles more dangerous than e-scooters in cities
Ditches as waterways: Managing ‘ditch-scapes’ to strengthen communities and the environment
In-situ molecular passivation enables pure-blue perovskite LEDs via vacuum thermal evaporation
[Press-News.org] A 20 percent sugary drink tax would cut number of UK obese adults by 180,000As biggest consumers, under 30s likely to be most affected