Food taxes and discounts affect weight


CHICAGO, Mar 19, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Food prices can affect weight
outcomes and pricing interventions can have a significant effect on obesity
rates, U.S. researchers said.

Lisa Powell and Frank J. Chaloupka of the University of Illinois at Chicago
assessed research published between 1990-2008 that involved weight and body mass
index in combination with pricing and taxes.

The study, published in a special March issue of the The Milbank Quarterly that
focused on obesity, found that raising the prices of less healthy foods -- fast
food and sugary products -- and lowering the prices of healthier foods -- fruits
and vegetables -- are associated with lower body weight and lesser likelihood of
obesity.

However, small taxes on unhealthy food items or small subsidies for healthy
foods are not likely to produce substantial changes in weight or obesity
prevalence, while nontrivial pricing interventions may have a measurable effect
on Americans' weight outcomes, the study said.

"This review provides evidence about the potential effectiveness of using food
pricing policies to affect weight outcomes, including the potential impact of
excise and other taxes on less healthy products and of subsidies for more
healthy products," the authors said in a statement.



URL: www.upi.com


Copyright 2009 by United Press International

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