Sugary drink tax linked to lower BMI in Seattle children

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-05-30 01:00

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A modest tax on sweetened beverages led to a small but significant decrease in the body mass index (BMI) of children in Seattle. Researchers analysed 5 years of BMI data following the implementation of the tax in 2018, and compared it with the BMI data of kids with similar weight histories in untaxed cities nearby. The reduction in BMI for Seattle children was significant across different ages, genders, races, and socioeconomic statuses, and the biggest decrease was seen in children who were overweight before the tax. The authors say the tax may help reduce obesity among diverse groups of children.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Open Network

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Washington, Seattle

Funder: This work was supported by the City of Seattle (Drs Jones-Smith, Knox, Wallace, Walkinshaw, Mooney, Godwin, Arterburn, Chan, and Saelens) to conduct an evaluation of the Seattle sweetened beverage tax.

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