Sugar and health in South Africa: Potential challenges to leveraging policy change.
Glob Public Health
; 12(1): 98-115, 2017 01.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-26315455
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.
Palabras clave
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Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Mujeres Trabajadoras
/
Bebidas
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Industria de Alimentos
/
Sacarosa en la Dieta
/
Enfermedades no Transmisibles
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Política de Salud
/
Obesidad
Tipo de estudio:
Etiology_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Glob Public Health
Asunto de la revista:
SAUDE PUBLICA
Año:
2017
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Sudáfrica