In 2014, Mexico imposed an excise tax of 1 peso per liter on sugar-sweetened beverages. Ana Basto-Abreu of Mexico's National Institute of Public Health and coauthors developed a cohort simulation model to simulate the effects of the tax on obesity-related diseases and health care spending over ten years. They projected that the current tax will prevent 239,900 cases of obesity, 39 percent of which would have been among children. Doubling the tax would prevent 107,300 cases of diabetes, lead to gains of 92,100 quality-adjusted life-years, and avert 10,200 disability-adjusted life-years, as well as save $6.88 in health care costs for every $1.00 spent on its implementation. The authors conclude that doubling the tax would bring extra benefits and that countries with comparable conditions could benefit from instituting a similar tax.
Also in the issue:
- Noncommunicable Diseases Attributable To Tobacco Use In China: Macroeconomic Burden And Tobacco Control Policies; Simiao Chen of Heidelberg University and coauthors
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Health Affairs is the leading peer-reviewed journal at the intersection of health, health care, and policy. Published monthly by Project HOPE, the journal is available in print and online. Late-breaking content is also found through healthaffairs.org, Health Affairs Today, and Health Affairs Sunday Update.
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