New taxes on soft drinks and foods high in saturated fat and, conversely, subsidizing fruits and vegetables could lead to beneficial changes in diet and improve health , according to a study by experts from New Zealand, published this week in Plos Medicine .
Eyles Helen and colleagues at the Universities of Auckland and Otago came to this conclusion after reviewing all the modeling studies that link food pricing strategies, food consumption, and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. .
Their combined analysis of 32 studies, all from high-income countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, found a 0.02 percent drop in energy consumption from saturated fats for every price increase for those products. by 1 percent. Similarly, a 10 percent increase in the price of soft drinks could decrease consumption by 1 percent to 24 percent. In contrast, the authors found that a 10 percent decrease in the price of fruits and vegetables can increase consumption by 2 to 8 percent .
"In general, taxes on carbonated beverages and saturated fat and subsidies on fruits and vegetables are associated with beneficial changes in diet, which have the potential to improve health," the study authors stress.
