In einer eindringlichen Stellungnahme hat am 21. Januar 2026 die Nationale Akademie der Wissenschaften Leopoldina zur Prävention von Adipositas aufgerufen und dabei u.a. die Einführung einer Zuckersteuer auf zucker- und fettreiche Lebensmittel gefordert. Leopoldina Policy Brief.
Ein am 5. Februar 2026 publizierter Artikel von australischen Wissenschaftlern im Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics referiert und bewertet die internationale gesundheitsökonomische Fachliteratur und kommt zu einem unterstützenden Urteil:
Just published: Sharma, A., Sinha, K. (2026). The Economics of a Sin Tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages. In: Zimmermann, K.F. (eds) Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics. Springer, Cham.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57365-6_298-1
ABSTRACT. The increasing global prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity, represents a major public health challenge. This chapter reviews the effectiveness of price-based policy interventions, with a focus on taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), as a strategy to address these health concerns. By analyzing the evidence from simulation-based studies and real-world implementation, the chapter explores the application of economic theory to understand consumer behavior and the potential impacts of SSB taxes. Key considerations include the price sensitivity of SSB consumption, the substitution effects—both desirable and undesirable—on other food and beverage choices, and the distributional consequences across income levels and age groups. Additionally, the chapter evaluates the health benefits, such as reductions in obesity and chronic disease rates, as well as the economic benefits stemming from lower healthcare expenditures. The evidence indicates that well-implemented SSB taxes can effectively reduce consumption, improve population health outcomes, and generate significant government revenue, positioning them as a promising tool in the global effort to combat the NCD epidemic.
GLO Fellow Anurag Sharma is a Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales, Australia. GLO Fellow Kompal Sinha is a Professor of Economics at Macquarie University, Australia, an Editor of the Journal of Population Economics and a Section Editor “Health” of the Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics published by Springer Nature.
Economics of Obesity
Frisvold, D., Lensing, C. (2021). Economics of Obesity. In: Zimmermann, K.F. (eds) Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57365-6_134-1
ABSTRACT. This chapter provides an overview of the levels, trends, causes, and consequences of obesity, related market failures, and the evidence of the impact of policies that could potentially address the market failures. More than 40% of adults in the United States are obese, and obesity-related healthcare accounts for over 20% of total annual medical expenditures. The decrease in the price of calorie-dense foods, which led to an increase in average calories consumed, is a primary cause of the rise in obesity since the 1970s. There are also significant market failures associated with obesity, including negative externalities due to pooled health insurance and asymmetric information between food producers and consumers. The presence of market failures provides support for government policies aimed at decreasing and preventing obesity. Public policy tactics to address this issue include price-based, information-based, and school-based policies. Of these, school-based policies may be the most effective as they help form healthy nutrition habits and prevent obesity in adulthood when healthcare costs are much higher. Overall, obesity rates remain high and continued government intervention is necessary to improve the market failures related to this epidemic.
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