A new study in Lancet Public Health explores how a tax on unhealthy foods could save thousands of lives in the Philippines.
The paper’s authors, which included experts from Resolve to Save Lives, modelled the estimated health and economic impacts of a 20% tax on packaged foods that exceed WHO thresholds for sodium or sugar.
The results demonstrated significant cardiovascular health benefits, revenue generation and cost savings. Researchers found that an unhealthy food tax could prevent 2,775 premature deaths, 5,000 strokes, 14,000 heart attacks, and 22,000 new type 2 diabetes cases over 20 years.
