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Policy Approaches to Combating Obesity: A Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax
(other approaches to be added at a future date)

SSB Tax Supporters in New York State
Organizations supporting the SSB tax can sign on to the Statement of Support for a NYS Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity among New York adults is high: 25% are obese and another 35% are overweighti. Obesity leads to a number of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and cancer. Treating these diseases costs New York State nearly $7.6 billion per yearii.

Losing weight is very difficult. Preventing overweight, particularly among children, is therefore a key strategy for improving the health of the public. Daily physical activity is one way to prevent obesity. Policies that support this include regulations that ensure access to safe parks and recreation, and daily physical education and recess in schools.

Information on March 8th Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax Forum in Albany

Another important strategy is to reduce caloric intake. Reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is particularly important as they are the food group most strongly linked to increased rates of obesity and risk for diabetesiii. Taxes have been shown to be an effective way to discourage unhealthy behaviorsiv. In January 2010, New York State Governor David A. Paterson proposed a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages as a means to reduce consumption of high-calorie drinks.

SSB Tax Supporters in New York State

Organizations supporting the SSB tax can sign on to the Statement of Support for a NYS Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax.

On February 24, people who support the tax will be speaking with legislators in Albany about the importance of an SSB tax. To take part in this conversation, contact us.

The Center for Science in the Public�s Interest can help you send a letter to your elected representatives in the New York Senate and Assembly.

Connect with others who support a tax

Drinking Yourself Fat on Facebook

NYSHEPA on Facebook

Educational Resources About the Benefits of a SSB Tax

News, Letters to the Editor, Editorials, and Press Releases

3/15/10 The New York Times: Nutrition: Rise in Soda Price Linked to Better Health

3/14/10 Metro: One Sweet Reason for a Soda Tax

3/09/10 Yahoo! News: Tax soda, pizza to cut obesity, researchers say

3/09/10 The Daily News: Gov. Paterson gulps, pushes for soda levy: Senators say move will fall flat

3/09/10 The Gothamist: Soda Tax Gathering Momentum

3/08/10 NYAM: Governor Paterson, State Health Officials, Researchers and Advocates Hold Educational Forum to Examine the Effects of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages on Critical Health Issues such as Obesity

3/08/10 The Atlantic: Only You Can Encourage Soda Taxes

3/08/10 The New York Times: Healthy Solution: Taxing Sodas

3/07/10 The Daily News: Health officials ready to make push for statewide soda tax

3/07/10 The City of New York Office of the Mayor: Mayor Bloomberg Urges Albany to Pass a Penny-Per-Ounce Soda Tax to Reduce Childhood Obesity - With the Nearly $1 Billion in Revenue Going to Education and Medicaid - in Weekly Radio Address

3/04/10 NYAM Media Advisory: SSB Symposium on March 8

3/04/10 Timesunion.com: A tax that invests in our health

3/03/10 LoHud: PepsiCo, wake up to the reality of obesity

2/21/10 Los Angeles Times: Soft drink tax battle shifts to states

2/20/10 The Leader Herald: Tax good for our health

2/18/10 The Daily News: Q Poll: NYers High On Kelly, 'Fat-Tax' And Calorie Counts

2/16/10 Food Navigator-USA.com: New Mexico food tax passes state Senate

2/16/10 CSPI Newsroom: CSPI Urges Government Health Agency Urged to Drop Coca-Cola as Heart-Health Partner

2/16/10 The New York Times - Should Coke Talk About Heart Health?

2/16/10 NYS Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Alliance Letter to the Editor

2/12/10 The New York Times: Soda: A Sin We Sip Instead of Smoke?

2/10/10 NYSPHA Letter to the Editor

2/9/10 Testimony Presented by Richard F. Daines, M.D. New York State Commissioner of Health - Joint Legislative Budget Testimony

2/9/10 NYAM: The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) Strongly Supports Governor Paterson's Proposed Tax on sugar sweetened beverages

2/7/10 Los Angeles Times: Beverage industry douses tax on soft drinks

2/5/10 Statement by State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines on the Proposed Sugared Beverage Tax

2/4/10 Citizen�s Committee for Children Press Release: Poll Demonstrates Strong Public Support For New Taxes on Sugar Sweetened Beverages

1/30/10 New York Times Letter to the Editor by Nancy Huehnergarth of NYSHEPA

1/28/10 GNYHA/1199 Press Release: New Yorkers Favor Soda Tax Over Cutting Health Funding

1/19/10 NYSPHA Press Release: NYS Public Health Association Says Sugar Sweetened Beverage Tax is Good Public Health Policy

2/2/09 NYAM Supports State Soda Tax

For more information, please contact us.

i. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey Data [Data File]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2007.
ii. Office of the State Comptroller. Preventing and reducing childhood obesity in New York. 2008 Oct. http://www.osc.state.ny.us/reports/health/childhoodobesity.pdf
iii. Vartanian LR, Schwartz MB, Brownell KD. Effects of soft drink consumption on nutrition and health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am.J.Public Health. 2007;97(4):667-675.
iv. Healthy Eating Research and Bridging the Gap. (2009) Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes and Public Health: A research brief. Available at http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=45828.