Support for a hypothetical sugar-sweetened beverage tax in Taiwan

Bibliographic Data

ID22945600
AuthorsLi-Jung Elizabeth Ku (0000-0002-4644-8439, Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University , No. 1, University Rd., East Rd., Tainan, 701 , Taiwan), Cherl Cy Moo (Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University , No. 1, University Rd., East Rd., Tainan, 701 , Taiwan), Yueh-Chen Li (Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University , No. 1, University Rd., East Rd., Tainan, 701 , Taiwan), Ya‐Hui Chang (0000-0001-6435-6207, Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University , No. 1, University Rd., East Rd., Tainan, 701 , Taiwan), Yuu-Hueih Hsu (Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University , No. 1, University Rd., East Rd., Tainan, 701 , Taiwan), Yi‐Chin Huang (National Cheng Kung University), Yi-Chin Huang (Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University , No. 1, University Rd., East Rd., Tainan, 701 , Taiwan), Chin‐Li Lu (0000-0002-0818-4823, Graduate Institute of Food Safety, National Chung Hsing University , No. 250, Kuo Kuang Rd., Taichung, 402 , Taiwan), Chung-Yi Li (0000-0002-0321-8908, Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University , No. 1, University Rd., East Rd., Tainan, 701 , Taiwan, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume39
Issue2
Publication date2024-04-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Promotion International (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0957-4824 • E-ISSN: 1460-2245
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/heapro/daae028
PMID38568731
OpenAlexW4393854876
LanguageEN
References cited17

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are drinks that contain added sugar or sweeteners and provide calories with no additional nutrients, and some countries have imposed additional taxes on the SSBs to reduce consumption, which is considered an SSB tax policy. This study used a cross-sectional online survey to examine the patterns of public support for an SSB tax in Taiwan. The sample included 1617 adults aged ≥ 20 years, who answered the survey questionnaire between May 2020 and April 2021. The respondents were recruited using convenience sampling, but sampling weights were applied to represent the Taiwanese population. Generalized ordered logit models with sampling weights were used to examine the correlates of public support for an SSB tax. Results showed that ~60% of the respondents supported the SSB tax and 47% perceived the tax to be effective. The respondents who were aware of the perceived health risks of SSBs or those who believed that one should be partly responsible for the health impact of SSBs were more likely to show support for the SSB tax. In adjusted regression models, both one’s perceived risk and perceived responsibility of SSBs were positively associated with the perceived effectiveness of the SSB tax after sociodemographic characteristics were controlled. These research findings show evidence that there is public support for implementing an SSB tax to reduce SSB consumption in Taiwan.

Consumption (sociology) · Economics · Environmental health · Logistic regression · Population · Public economics · Public health · Sample (material) · Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology · Medicine · Nutritional Studies and Diet · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology

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