title: Commentary: Soda taxes, obesity, and the shifty behavior of consumers.
abstract: Rising obesity is a threat to public health, and taxing sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in order to reduce consumption and thus caloric intake could be a viable policy response. But raising the price of SSB calories will raise the quantity demanded of relatively cheaper calories, and net effect on obesity is unclear. I review the evidence on shifting calorie demand and discuss the viability of soda taxes to achieve improvements in public health.
authors.affiliation: Economics Department, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, USA. redwards@qc.cuny.edu
authors.forename: Ryan D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Edwards
mesh_terms: D001519:Behavior; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D019649:Food Industry / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011634:Public Health / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D011639:Public Opinion; D013660:Taxes
chemical_list: D019422:Dietary Sucrose