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María Mónica Monsalve S. / @ Mariamonic91
The Institute of Public Health of Javeriana University has studied the panorama that these sound taxes would have in the country. Taxing these products at 24% would have a significant impact on the rates of overweight and obesity, a public health problem that worsens.
In the last 10 years, the rate of obesity and overweight increased by sugary drinks (10%).
One of the debates that promises to be the most critical during the tax reform, discussed two years ago, is that of inflation applied to sweetened beverages . Under the idea that it was a healthy tax that sought to reduce the consumption of these products, and with that also reduce the public health problems that are booming as being overweight and overweight. obesity, the government has proposed "the national consumption tax of sugary drinks". An amount of $ 300 per liter that should be borne by the importer or producer. (Read here: Tax on sweetened beverages will be 300 pesos per liter)
But also trilled Alejandro Gaviria, the Minister of Health "in short, won the lobby and lost public health ", because the proposal did not materialize by several arguments that were presented to the Congress. Among them, there was no scientific data or strong figures in Colombia stating that a tax on sugary drinks could be associated with the reduction of obesity in the country. (See also: The Sweet Lies of Congressmen – The Pulla)
In summary, the lobby has won and lost public health.
– Alejandro Gaviria (@agaviriau) December 6, 2016
This week, however, the I Institute of Public Health of Javeriana University published a study that gives a lot of meat to debate. After analyzing several data on the nutritional status of the Colombian population, as well as the impact of price changes on the consumption of sugary drinks, the researchers concluded that a tax of 24% on these products would reduce 5 and 10% obesity in strata 1 and 2, and 5 to 8% in strata greater than 3.
Research, which has already been published in the scientific journal Social Science & Medicine, [19659011] is one of the top three factors from the National Survey of Nutritional Status conducted in 2010: the consumption of sugary drinks, the body mass index of the population and its stratum. In total, the data of 7,140 adults.
Figures, as explained by Dr. Andrés Ignacio Vecino, lead author of the study, were crossed with the elasticity (price sensitivity) of sugary drinks, having consider the substitution with other products and beverages. In other words, the sensitivity that people have to their price increase to decide whether to consume them or not. (Read here: This is the controversial advertising of sugary drinks that they took out of air)
"As in previous research, we assumed that for every 3,500 calories not consumed, an overweight individual or an average weight loss obesity a pound of weight, "says the study. Thus, by calculating how much each individual stopped drinking sugary drinks because of rising prices, they were able to estimate the potential weight loss attributable to the tax for each individual.
The research raises four scenarios based on the average price of a sweet drink for 2016 ($ 1,104 for every 350 ml): a fee of 0.25 pesos per millimeter (8% of the average price ), a tax of $ 0.50 (16%) and a tax of $ 0.75 (24 "
" The recommendation is that the tax be not less than 24% so that, in effect, it will have an impact on the reduction of obesity in low and high strata, "he says.Voisin (Read: The Court supports advertisements that warn against the risks of consuming sugary drinks)
Although the trend of obesity in Colombia indicated that it appeared more in the middle layers, since 2017 changed and it is estimated that the following years will have more impact in the lower strata increasing the presence of chronic diseases such as heart problems, diabetes, hypertension and cancer precisely ch these most vulnerable populations.
The most recent nutritional status, that of 2015, the overweight is 56%, while the obesity rate is 19%. In addition, over the past 10 years, both problems have increased in rates similar to the production of sweetened beverages (10%).
"The tax on sugary drinks and healthy taxes has a greater role in public health.And apart from the political discussion, we find that it would make sense to apply it to from the arguments of science.It is a scientific tool for policymakers, government and congress, "concludes Vecino.
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