Could targeted food taxes improve health?

We use empirical economic data to predict the impact of price increases on the change in consumption (the current UK VAT rate of 17.5%). The price elasticity of demand predicts the rate of change (consumption) of item consumption will change by 1%. For example, if the price elasticity of bread is -0.40, the bread price will rise by 10% and for all other conditions bread consumption will be reduced by 4%. Also, if the bread price rises, the consumption of margarine may decrease. The cross-price elasticity of demand predicts this effect. For example, the cross-price elasticity of margarine when bread price is -0.1 means that margarine consumption will drop by 1% when bread price rises by 10%. Normally, mutually complementary items have negative cross elasticity and interchangeable items have positive cross elasticity. For each taxable food, use the elasticity of the demand price for each item to calculate the impact on consumption. In addition, the appropriate cross price elasticity value is used to calculate the impact on consumption of other goods. It is assumed that actual consumption will change as consumption (number of purchases) changes. Secondly, using the meta empirical data, we can estimate the effect of various types of fat intake on changes in nutrient intake, changes in saline intake and cardiovascular disease (stroke and IHD) mortality (due to influence on serum cholesterol ). Impact - analysis

As we calculated a lot of items with VAT, we used a spreadsheet model (Microsoft Excel 2000) to calculate the impact on meals and health. In this model, you can change and observe the food to be taxed on various health conditions and the results of meals. The different composition of food being taxed is called "method". The three methods examined are as follows.

Marshall recommends that VAT be expanded to sources of saturated fat of the main food (whole milk, butter, cake, pastry, biscuits, pudding, ice cream, cheese, bread). 14 We will use Marshall's data as much as possible to reproduce it. Suggestion

SSCg3d score quantitatively estimates the unhealthy condition of food 16 16 nutritional parameters determine food score. Scoring energy density, saturated fat, sodium and non-milky external sugar (up to 10 points), subtract fruits and vegetable content, iron, calcium and n-3 polyunsaturated fats. The score ranges from -12 (spinach) to +29 (chocolate digested biscuit). We impose a VAT on all foods classified as bad healthy (ie foods with SSC g 3 d score of 9).

They examined the recommendations of the scientific literature to define the target products of the junk food tax, as well as the existing US and international law, to assess how foods are defined in federal taxes. Researchers identified four food classification methods: product categories (such as soda and candies), a wide range of nutritional standards, specific nutrients and calories, or a combination. Several studies also suggest a gradual taxation strategy that increases taxes as food's nutritional value decreases (eg, increases in sugar will result in tax increases).

Improving health is the main objective of public health agencies and supporters, but there are some legitimate opposition to be achieved through the targeted food tax. The main concern is that food tax, which is large enough to improve health outcomes, will further lower the consumer budget, especially for low-income households. The worst scenario is that these taxes increase food insecurity. It is therefore necessary to associate a broad taxing strategy with the corresponding large subsidies to ensure that access to consumers' low-priced food products is not compromised.

It is widely believed that eating more will improve health, lower medical costs, and improve quality of life. The problem is that the relevance between taxation on unhealthy foods and consumption of such foods is weak.