title: The cost-effectiveness and consumer acceptability of taxation strategies to reduce rates of overweight and obesity among children in Australia: study protocol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Childhood obesity is a recognised public health problem and around 25% of Australian children are overweight or obese. A major contributor is the obesogenic environment which encourages over consumption of energy dense nutrient poor food. Taxation is commonly proposed as a mechanism to reduce consumption of poor food choices and hence reduce rates of obesity and overweight in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  An economic model will be developed to assess the lifetime benefits and costs to a cohort of Australian children by reducing energy dense nutrient poor food consumption through taxation mechanisms. The model inputs will be derived from a series of smaller studies. Food options for taxation will be derived from literature and expert opinion, the acceptability and impact of price changes will be explored through a Citizen's Jury and a discrete choice experiment and price elasticities will be derived from the discrete choice experiment and consumption data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The health care costs of managing rising levels of obesity are a challenge for all governments. This study will provide a unique contribution to the international knowledge base by engaging a variety of robust research techniques, with a multidisciplinary focus and be responsive to consumers from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
authors: Population and Social Health Research Program, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. t.comans@griffith.edu.au.
authors: Tracy A
authors: TA
authors: Comans
authors: Jennifer A
authors: JA
authors: Whitty
authors: Andrew P
authors: AP
authors: Hills
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Kendall
authors: Erika
authors: E
authors: Turkstra
authors: Louisa G
authors: LG
authors: Gordon
authors: Josh M
authors: JM
authors: Byrnes
authors: Paul A
authors: PA
authors: Scuffham
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D005502:Food / Q000191:economics; D005518:Food Preferences; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018803:Models, Economic; D050177:Overweight / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013660:Taxes