title: Sugar and health in South Africa: Potential challenges to leveraging policy change.
abstract: A growing body of evidence indicates that excessive sugar consumption is driving epidemics of obesity and related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) around the world. South Africa (SA), a major consumer of sugar, is also the third most obese country in Africa, and 40% of all deaths in the country result from NCDs. A number of fiscal, regulatory, and legislative levers could reduce sugar consumption in SA. This paper focuses on a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax. The purpose of the paper is to highlight the challenges that government might anticipate. Policies cannot be enacted in a vacuum and discussion is focused on the industrial, economic, and societal context. The affected industry actors have been part of the SA economy for over a century and remain influential. To deflect attention, the sugar industry can be expected either to advocate for self-regulation or to promote public-private partnerships. This paper cautions against both approaches as evidence suggests that they will be ineffective in curbing the negative health impacts caused by excessive sugar consumption. In summary, policy needs to be introduced with a political strategy sensitive to the various interests at stake. In particular, the sugar industry can be expected to be resistant to the introduction of any type of tax on SSBs.
authors: a PRICELESS SA- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health-Faculty of Health Sciences , University of the Witwatersrand , Johannesburg , South Africa.
authors: Alex
authors: A
authors: Myers
authors: b Environmental Evaluation Unit , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa.|c Society, Work and Development Institute , University of the Witwatersrand , Johannesburg , South Africa.|d Transnational Institute , Amsterdam , Netherlands.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Fig
authors: a PRICELESS SA- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health-Faculty of Health Sciences , University of the Witwatersrand , Johannesburg , South Africa.
authors: Aviva
authors: A
authors: Tugendhaft
authors: a PRICELESS SA- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health-Faculty of Health Sciences , University of the Witwatersrand , Johannesburg , South Africa.
authors: Jessie
authors: J
authors: Mandle
authors: e Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa.
authors: Jonathan
authors: J
authors: Myers
authors: a PRICELESS SA- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health-Faculty of Health Sciences , University of the Witwatersrand , Johannesburg , South Africa.
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Hofman
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D001628:Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution; D019649:Food Industry / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D033161:Government Regulation; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D000073296:Noncommunicable Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009765:Obesity / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011209:Power, Psychological; D015995:Prevalence; D055818:Public-Private Sector Partnerships / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D013660:Taxes; D014931:Women, Working / Q000193:education* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D019422:Dietary Sucrose
keywords: Sugar; industry challenges; non-communicable diseases; obesity; sugar-sweetened beverage tax