Table 1.
Review objectives | Review study inclusion criteria | Countries (WHO regions) of included relevant studies | Method of evidence synthesis | Consumption related outcomes relevant to this umbrella review | Included relevant original papers and quality |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Itria et al. [15]. AMSTAR Rating: High | |||||
To assess the effect of implemented SSB tax policies on reducing consumption, purchase and sales, overweight and obesity prevalence |
Any type of tax Studies included modelling, non-experimental quasi-experimental or experimental Peer-reviewed and grey literature |
Australia; Barbados; Chile; Ireland; Mexico; South Africa; UK; USA (African, European, Western Pacific, The Americas) |
Narrative | Outcomes included changes in SSB consumption including purchase/sales as proxy for consumption. (See data from individual studies in Additional file 6) |
Out of 7 elements of quality assessment, all included studies achieved scores of 4–5 |
Sobhani et al. [30] AMSTAR Rating: Moderate | |||||
To assess evidence on the impacts of SSB taxation on purchase and consumption of SSBs |
Excise tax/sales tax Empirical data excluded modelling studies. Included quasi-experimental (pre- post comparisons) and RCT designs |
Mexico USA Holland (European, The Americas) |
Narrative | Outcomes included consumption, purchase, or sales of SSB (See data from individual studies Additional file 6) |
5 studies with data relevant to the question of this review: [44, 58–61] Out of 7 elements of quality assessment, all included studies achieved scores of 4–5 |
Teng et al. [27] AMSTAR Rating: High | |||||
To meta-analyse data from studies measuring impact of real-world SSB taxes on SSB sales and intake before and after the tax, or in a taxed compared with an untaxed jurisdiction |
Studies with data on the impact of implementation of real world SSB taxes All types of SSB taxes (excise, sales, volumetric, ad valorem, sugars content-based taxes |
All were HIC except Mexico (high-middle) Chile Finland France Hungary Mexico Spain USA (European, The Americas) |
Meta-analysis: the summary measure was a RR scaled for 10% ad-valorem tax (AVEs were applied to volumetric tax). Sub-analysis by tax type |
Outcomes included purchase or dietary intake Meta‐analysis showed 10% SSB tax decreased consumption by 10.0% (95% CI: − 5.0, -14.7%), based on pre–post intervention comparisons and/or comparisons to an untaxed control jurisdiction. This corresponded to PED − 1.00 (95% CI: − 0.50, − 1.47) By tax type: 2.3% (95% CI: -11.2, 7.4%) decline for ad valorem tax; a 10.2% decline (95% CI: -4.1, -15.9%) for volumetric; 14% (95% CI: -7.5, -20.1%) for with a sugar concentration threshold (NS) By age group: all 10.2%, adults 6.4%, children 7.7% p = 0.91 By SES (NS) |
Papers included in meta-analysis: [42, 44, 47, 51, 53, 56, 58, 60, 62–68] Risk of bias assessment classified 8/22 studies high, 6/22 moderate, and 8/22 low quality |
Bergallo et al. [31] AMSTAR Rating: Moderate | |||||
To assess the available evidence on impact of SSB taxation (and other regulatory strategies to reduce SSB) in Latin American countries |
Excise tax, and VAT Included naturalistic studies (experimental and modelling excluded) Peer-reviewed studies only |
Mexico, Barbados (The Americas) |
Narrative | Outcomes included consumption, purchase, or sales of SSB (See data from individual studies Additional file 6) |
No appraisal of quality of included studies |
Redondo et al. [32] AMSTAR Rating: Moderate | |||||
To synthesize existing evidence related to the impact of SSB taxes on consumption, purchase, or sales |
All types of taxes 5 Naturalistic Studies (excluded simulations/modelling studies |
USA Mexico (The Americas) |
Narrative | Outcomes included SSB sale, purchasing behaviour. (See data from individual studies Additional file 6) |
Quality appraisal addressed 58 elements. Elements not met ranged from 2–6. Elements met ranged from 33–48, |
Afshin et al. [28]. AMSTAR Rating: High | |||||
To quantify the prospective effect of changes in food prices on dietary consumption |
Included intervention and PCS on impact of change in price on consumption and adiposity Excluded modelling studies, cross-sectional studies, and laboratory experiments (hypothetical situations) |
USA (The Americas) |
Study-specific effect sizes were pooled using inverse-variance-weighted random-effect models | Each 10% price increase reduced SSB intake by 7% (95% CI: -3.0, -10.0%) |
Quality scored out of 5 ranged from 3–5 |
Nakhimovsky et al. [29] AMSTAR rating: High | |||||
To assess the effectiveness of SSB tax in MIC in comparison to HIC. To assess: (1) prices increase after introduction of excise tax; (2) impact on EI and differences across SES groups |
Middle-income countries Any tax or price change on SSB consumption (and preferable body weight outcomes). All SSB categories included Modelling, non-experimental, quasi-experimental or experimental studies |
Brazil, Ecuador India Mexico Peru South Africa (African, The Americas) |
Standardised estimates for change in SSB intake to kJ/person/day for a 10% price increase |
Analysis showed OPE (range: -0.6- to -1.2) equivalent to a 6.0% to 12.0% reduction in consumption with 10% tax. With 10% tax EI reduction of 18.0 (range: 5.0 to 39.0) KJ/ person/day (~ 1.07 (range: 0.3 to 2.3) g sugars /person/day). Assumed linearity between % change in price and intake Reduction in SSB purchase higher (9.1%) in lowest SES tertile than highest (5.5%). OPEs higher among lower income groups (no meta-analysis of these data: see individual studies in Additional file 6) |
Nine studies, (three quasi-experimental [59, 75, 76] Six observational & modelling [55, 57, 59, 77–79] Assessed studies against 6 criteria checklist. Mode = 4. Range 1–5 out of 6. Used hierarchy of study design to inform findings |
Backholer et al. [33] AMSTAR Rating: Moderate | |||||
To clarify the differential impact(s) of SSB taxes on SSB purchase, intake, and body weight outcomes by SES | Studies that reported the impact of change in SSB price on purchase, intake, or EI and/or body weight related outcomes according to any marker of SES in HIC |
USA UK Ireland New Zealand (European, Western Pacific, The Americas) |
Narrative | Outcomes included SSB intake, EI, and body weight outcomes. (See data from individual studies Additional file 6) |
8 papers with relevant data: [45, 46, 51, 52, 80–82] Quality of included studies was not appraised |
Niebylski et al. [39] AMSTAR Rating: Low | |||||
To evaluate published evidence to assess the effect of healthier food/beverage subsidies and less food/beverage taxation on diet | Included studies, reviews, and/or predictive models for adults and children in Western Europe, Canada, US, Australia, and New Zealand. Articles assessing tax (any type) effect on nutrition-related health outcomes and consumption of foods including SSB |
Canada USA (The Americas) |
Narrative | Outcomes included intake of healthier vs. less health (none core) foods, including SSB (See data from individual studies Additional file 6) |
15 papers: [29, 37, 46, 52, 71, 73, 78, 83–90] GRADE method used to assess quality of body of evidence |
Thow et al. [34] AMSTAR Rating: Moderate | |||||
To assess the effectiveness of food tax and subsidies policies on consumption | Studies with empirical data on impact of food or nutrient tax (any type) on subsidy on consumption. Modelling and stated preference studies included |
USA, Norway, Brazil, France (European, The Americas) |
Narrative reporting the range of effect across studies |
SSB taxes ranged from 5 to 30%. All showed a reduction in SSB consumption range: 5% to 48%. Overall change in consumption was proportional to the taxes applied SES: four modelled studies from Brazil, Finland and US found higher price sensitivity for low-income households (See data, including for cross price elasticity from individual studies Additional file 6) |
Sixteen studies: [38, 42, 51, 52, 56, 73, 78, 81, 83, 87–93] Assessed quality with reference to: 1) Is study prospective 2) Data includes all SSB 3) Price and consumption data from same population 4) Considers potential substitution 5) Based on individual food consumption- yes 6) Study assesses an actual tax – no Scores ranged 1–4/6: 1 study 1/6, 6 studies 2/6, 6 studies 3/6, 1 study 4/6) |
Cabrera Escobar et al. [35] AMSTAR rating: Moderate | |||||
To evaluate the published evidence for impact of SSB taxes or price increases, on consumption levels and obesity, overweight and BMI |
Studies with original evidence on the quantitative impact of SSB price changes on consumption or on weight change or BMI Articles in English 2000–2013 |
USA, Mexico, Brazil, France (European, The Americas) |
Meta-analysis on OPE and cross-PED using random effects model |
All the results show negative elasticity; OPE -1.3 (95% CI: -1.09, -1.51) Mexico -1.09 (SE 0.20) France -2.21 (SE 0.13) Brazil -0.85 (SE 0.43) Four studies (3 USA, 1 Mexico) reported cross-PED showing increased SSB price increased demand for other beverages, fruit juice 0.39 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.77), and milk 0.13 (95% CI: -0.09, 0.34), and reduced demand for diet drinks − 0.42 (95% CI: -0.63, -1.23) The evidence from LMICs consistent with HIC countries |
9 Studies: [42, 52, 56, 77, 78, 83, 87, 88, 91, 94] Quality of studies not assessed |
Maniadakis et al. [36] AMSTAR Rating: Moderate | |||||
To assess the impact of tax policies and price increases on SSB consumption, EI and weight outcomes | Included were original studies in the four categories of: existing data; experiments; survey; and observational studies; – on the association between SSBs prices and taxes and corresponding intake, EI or obesity-related outcomes |
USA, UK, Norway, Italy, Denmark, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Mexico, Brazil, Taiwan, Singapore, and Australia (European, SE Asian, Western Pacific, The Americas) |
Narrative |
Studies (n = 9) with data on prices/taxes and PED showed PED ranged from -0.5 to -1.6 with most < 1.0. PED was more regressive towards the lower SES 2 studies with data on SSB tax and EI showed a 10% increase in price/tax reduced EI by up to 50 kcal/day or. 450/month (equivalent to a reduction in sugars of ~ 12.5 g/d and 112.5 g/month) |
Included in PED synthesis [71, 85, 95–101] Reported narrative: 27, 50, 51, 55, 73, 79, 80, 83, 90, 94, 98, 106 Quality of studies not assessed |
Powell et al. [37] AMSTAR Rating: Moderate | |||||
To assess PED for SSBs, fast food, and fruits & vegetables, and direct associations of prices/taxes with body weight outcomes | Included studies with US data, original quantitative data on effect of price/tax on consumption or weight change. Studies that assessed demand for product category (not brand) excluded intervention studies |
USA (The Americas) |
Derived an overall mean estimate of PED of SSB from available SSB estimates for all SSB/sub-categories |
Each PED estimate was weighted by its relative consumption share of SSBs based on EI data from individual dietary data for those aged 2 + from the 2007–2008 NHANES Based on 12 available price elasticity studies, the overall OPE was -1.21 (95% CI: -0.71, -3.87) implying that a 10% tax would reduce consumption by 12% and a 20% tax by 24% |
11 studies included [51, 52, 73, 81, 83, 87, 88, 96, 101–103] Quality of studies not assessed |
Andreyeva et al. [38] AMSTAR Rating: Moderate | |||||
To estimate effect of price change on consumer demand for major commodity foods, and to explored how altering SSB price alters consumption | Studies with data on SSB reporting on PED |
USA (The Americas) |
Mean PED estimates and variations in estimates by study design | Average PED 0.79 (95% CI: 0.33, 1.24), range 0.13 to 3.18) based on 14 estimates. A10% tax on SSB reduced consumption by 8–10% | 14 studies with data on SSB available from authors |
AVE Ad valorem equivalent, BMI Body mass index, HIC High-income countries, CI Confidence interval, EI Energy intake, GRADE Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations, Kcal kilocalorie, MIC Middle-income countries, NHANES National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, OPE Own price elasticity, PCS Prospective cohort study, PED Price elasticity of demand, RR Relative risk, SE Standard error, SES Socio-economic status, SSB Sugar sweetened beverage, WHO World Health Organization
a Review Question 1: What are the effects of SSB taxation on SSB on price elasticity of demand/ consumption?