French media: Research has found that taxing sugary drinks is good for public health.

The authors of the latest study say their findings support the idea that a "crime tax" can reduce consumption, justifying the use of taxes to address health problems such as
obese
according to
French media.
Philadelphia officials decided in 2017 to impose a drinks tax on
sacchargic drinks
and artificial sweetened beverages, a move that led to a 38 percent drop in sales, AFP reported on May 14.
recent years, seven U.S. cities, including Philadelphia, have taken such measures, as well as countries such as France and Mexico.
the control city used by the researchers was Baltimore, which did not implement the measure because it had similar socio-demographic and health conditions.
, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that stores in Philadelphia passed on all or part of the additional costs to consumers, resulting in a 51 percent drop in sales in the city.
sales rose in areas near Philadelphia but not within the tax range, but after taking that effect into account, sales fell by about 38%.
study co-author Christina Roberto says the figures confirm a basic economic theory: if the price of a commodity rises, fewer people will buy it.
tax on sugary drinks is one of the most effective policy tools we can use to reduce our purchases," said Dr. Li, an assistant professor of health policy at the University of Pennsylvania. She added that it was a "simple common sense of public health".
overall goal is to achieve better health outcomes: reducing obesity, tooth decay and diabetes. The researchers did not measure these indicators in the study, but they believe that reducing the intake of artificially added sugar is a step in the right direction.
the United States, 17 percent of the calories consumed by children (recommended at 10 percent) come from artificially added sugars, half of which come from beverages.
, a relatively large number of low-income people in Philadelphia, may be a factor in the sharp drop in sales, and these consumers are more likely to be price-sensitive, the Associated Press reported. Sales in Baltimore remained stable over the same period, the study found.