We want to share with you an article we read recently in ScienceDaily that covers new soda tax research from Northwestern University.  The researchers found that taxes on certain beverages like soft drinks, juice drinks, teas and sports drinks will not shrink the waistlines of obese people and might have unintentional consequences, like taxing unintended audiences.  As we have blogged before, obesity is a complex issue that requires a comprehensive solution.   Singling out one product is not the answer.

The effects of a penny-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages are minuscule at best.  Take for instance a review by George Mason University which showed that a 20 percent tax on soda would reduce the average obese person’s Body Mass Index by .02 – from 40 to 39.98 – an amount not even measurable on a bathroom scale.

And there’s real world data to support that these taxes don’t work.  West Virginia and Arkansas are the two states with longstanding excise taxes on soda, yet both states rank among the 10 states with the highest obesity rates in the country, according to the CDC. The only proven method for achieving a healthy and balanced lifestyle is balancing calories consumed from all  foods and beverages with those burned through daily physical activity.