Journal
PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION
Volume 18, Issue 14, Pages 2679-2688Publisher
CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1017/S1368980014003231
Keywords
Food tax; Sugar-sweetened beverages; Perception; Population-based studies
Funding
- Direction Generale de la Sante
- French Ministry of Health
- Institut de Veille Sanitaire
- Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique
- Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers
- Institut National de Prevention et d'Education pour la Sante
- Fondation pour la Recherche Medicale
- Paris 13 University
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Objective: In France, an excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages was introduced on 1 January 2012. Our objective was to assess perception of this tax as well as the sociodemographic characteristics of its supporters and opponents. Design: Cross-sectional study within the Nutrinet-Sante cohort. A sub-sample of 1996 individuals was selected among participants in the Nutrinet-Sante cohort study. Perceptions of the sugar-sweetened beverage tax were assessed via self-administered questionnaires. The sociodemographic and dietary profiles of supporters and opponents of this tax were explored by multinomial logistic regression. Setting: Nationally representative French sample, 2012. Subjects: Adults aged > 18 years (largest sample n 1996). Results: Half of the study sample was generally supportive of the tax and 57.7% perceived it as helpful in improving population health. Participants were more likely to support the tax model if the revenue it generated would be used for health-care system improvement (72.7%) and if such taxing was associated with a corresponding decrease in the prices of other foodstuffs (71.5%). Older participants were more likely to support the tax than were their younger counterparts (OR = 2.37; 95 % CI 1.60, 3.49 for > 65 years v.26-45 years; P < 0.001). Participants with lower educational levels were less likely to support the tax than were those with more formal education (OR = 0.31; 95 % CI 0.19, 0.52 for low educational level v.high education level; P < 0.001). In our models, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was not associated with tax perception. Conclusions: The French sugar-sweetened beverage tax appeared to be favourably perceived by the public. Sociodemographic factors modulated such perceptions and should thus be taken into consideration when drafting future public health measures.
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