Kim Daniel, Kawachi Ichiro
Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Am J Prev Med. 2006 May;30(5):430-7. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2005.12.007.
This article highlights characteristics of two related yet distinct economic approaches to addressing the current obesity epidemic in the United States: the general taxation of soft drinks, snack foods, and/or fast foods, and the application of pricing incentives/disincentives on foods sold in schools and worksites. The article specifically focuses on the: (1) rationale for, (2) potential barriers and limitations to, and (3) possible unintended consequences of implementing these policy interventions at the state level. Novel empirical evidence showing strong positive associations between the presence of state-level taxation on soft drinks or snack foods between 1991 and 1998 and relative changes in obesity prevalence over the same time period is further presented. The article concludes by summarizing the similarities and dissimilarities of the two approaches, and by emphasizing some of the gaps and priorities regarding these strategies that should be addressed in future research and policies to best effect obesity prevention.
本文重点介绍了两种相关但又不同的经济方法的特点，这两种方法旨在应对美国当前的肥胖流行问题：对软饮料、休闲食品和/或快餐征收一般税，以及对在学校和工作场所销售的食品实施价格激励/抑制措施。本文具体关注：（1）实施这些政策干预措施的理由，（2）潜在的障碍和限制，以及（3）在州一级实施这些政策干预措施可能产生的意外后果。本文还进一步展示了新的实证证据，表明1991年至1998年期间州一级对软饮料或休闲食品征税与同一时期肥胖患病率的相对变化之间存在强烈的正相关关系。文章最后总结了这两种方法的异同，并强调了在未来研究和政策中应解决的一些关于这些策略的差距和优先事项，以最好地预防肥胖。
