Will a Soda Tax Really Curb Obesity?

In the effort to combat America's obesity epidemic, one idea that often gets bandied about is instituting a soda tax. The reasoning goes that if cities or states raise the prices on sugary beverages by a certain percentage, folks will be less inclined to purchase them. The tax is quite controversial, and many question whether raising prices will even put a dent in the country's weight problem.

So let's look at the facts: We've yet to see real-world evidence that a soda tax works, mainly because most places haven't implemented the practice. At the end of May, the Washington, D.C. City Council approved a six percent tax on sugary beverages. According to the Washington Post, New York City also recently considered a soda tax, but the plan got squashed last week.

So with a lack of real world applications, we've got to look to scientific studies, and there are a few focused on soda taxes. Last week, the USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) released the results of its soda tax study. Researchers found that "a 20 percent increase in the price of high-calorie, sweetened beverages, such as soda and sports drinks, could result in a decrease in the daily calorie intake of beverages by 37 calories for an average adult and 43 calories for children," the Washington Post reported. "That translates into an average reduction of 3.8 pounds over a year for an adult and 4.5 pounds for a child." And as Change.org blogger Katherine Gustafson recently wrote, a recent Harvard study yielded similar results. Researchers raised the price of a 20-ounce bottle of soda in hospital cafeteria by 45 cents, or 35 percent. The price bump caused sales of regular soda to decrease by 26 percent, while sales of untaxed diet soda rose by 20 percent.

While these studies showed encouraging results, I'm skeptical how a soda tax would play out in real world applications. While a tax may decrease folks' soda intake, it might not do much for curbing obesity. For one, many people may not be turned off by a 20, or 30, or even 40-cent price increase. A pack of cigarettes carries such high taxes and prices now that it can cost folks upwards of $14. Yet 47 million Americans continue to smoke, though that number is declining.

But unlike lung cancer (where cigarettes are the leading cause), obesity has a host of contributing factors. Drinking high-calorie drinks definitely fattens consumers up. But so does eating fast food, not exercising, serving gross food in the nation's lunch rooms, drinking alcohol, and snacking on junk food. You can hike the price of soda, but it's very plausible that people may just reach for a bag of Funions instead. And let's not forget the social justice issue here, too. Many times, people in low-income neighborhoods lack access to fresh, healthy foods because they live in food deserts or simply can't afford to purchase organic or local fare. Obesity is a hugely complex issue. A soda tax—or any single "solution," for that matter—can't act as a panacea.

That's not to say I'm opposed to a soda tax—combating obesity requires a multi-faceted approach, and a tax on sugary drinks could be a part of that plan. I am, however, skeptical of soda taxes, and I think there are better options out there for decreasing consumption of high-calorie beverages. San Francisco's Mayor Gavin Newsom just approved a revolutionary idea to rid vending machines of sugary drinks. From now on, any vending machine on city property can only offer diet sodas, 100-percent fruit or veggie juices, water, and dairy and non-dairy milks. And let's not forget Bill Clinton's plan to ban all soda sales in the nation's schools. Both of these options seem like they'll do a better job of shaving down waistlines than a soda tax.

So what do you think, readers? Should cities and states implement a tax on sugary drinks? Tell us what you think in the poll above.