Reducing Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption: Evidence, Policies, and Economics

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are the largest source of added sugar in the US diet and have contributed to the obesity and diabetes epidemics. This review article describes the health consequences of overconsumption of SSB over the past decades, and its potential implications on economic costs and population health. Policy-based strategies to discourage SSB consumption are discussed, with particular emphasis on their economic rationales. Though there is evidence of the need to curb SSB consumption at the population level, several important evidence gaps remain regarding potential unintended consequences, and the comparative and cost effectiveness of policy interventions.