title: Taxing junk food to counter obesity.
abstract: We examined the advantages and disadvantages of implementing a junk food tax as an intervention to counter increasing obesity in North America. Small excise taxes are likely to yield substantial revenue but are unlikely to affect obesity rates. High excise taxes are likely to have a direct impact on weight in at-risk populations but are less likely to be politically palatable or sustainable. Ultimately, the effectiveness of earmarked health programs and subsidies is likely to be a key determinant of tax success in the fight against obesity.
authors.affiliation: The authors are with the Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec. Mark J. Eisenberg is also with Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franck
authors.forename: Sonia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Grandi
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
mesh_terms: D001628:Beverages / Q000191:economics; D057140:Fast Foods / Q000191:economics*; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009656:North America / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011639:Public Opinion; D013660:Taxes / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*
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