Soda Tax Least Helpful to Those Most in Need of Cutting Back

A 40% tax on sugar-sweetened beverages could result in an average annual weight loss of 1.3 pounds per person, according to a study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The potential annual weight loss, however, drops to just half a pound among the poorest 25% of Americans. The high tax on store-bought sugary drinks would have the most influence on weight reduction among middle-income Americans.

The study’s authors analyzed data, collected over a 12-month period, on store-bought foods and beverages in U.S. households in 2006. They then used this to estimate the potential effects of a 20% and 40% tax on sugar-sweetened drinks.

The good news is that, in theory, a tax on sugary drinks -- if high enough -- may produce some weight loss among Americans. The bad news, though, is that it is least likely to affect the lowest income Americans -- those who, according to Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index data, are the most likely to be obese.

More than 3 in 10 Americans who make less than $36,000 per year are obese, according to an article Gallup published in October of this year. Obesity declines as income increases, decreasing to 2 in 10 among those who make $90,000 or more per year.

The same article also revealed that the obesity problem is getting worse. More Americans in every income group have become obese since 2008, when Gallup began daily tracking of Americans’ weight.

So, while a sugary drink tax may not do much for those who are the most likely to be obese, Americans of all incomes could benefit from such an effort, which may make it worthwhile.

Gallup tracks Americans’ BMI daily as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index and publishes new updates and analyses on Gallup.com. To stay up to date on Gallup’s latest findings on obesity in the United States, sign up to receive all of our wellbeing news via e-mail alert or RSS.

To get the latest news from Thrive as soon as it publishes, sign up for our feed via e-mail.