It is increasingly recognized that the calories in sugar-sweetened beverages contribute to childhood obesity in due increase in their consumption. Laws governing the availability of high caloric content beverages in school settings among most states have been adopted. However, there is a great encounter of resistance to these policies from the beverage industry and the consumers. The beverage industry further asserts there is no need for government intervention since the industry has taken measures to public concern on the consumption of the sugar-sweetened beverages by teenagers and children. They have also volunteered to work with schools to phase out sales of unhealthy snacks (Mello, 2008).
According to Brownell, (2009) the social efficiency of the sugar-sweetened beverage industries inclines towards negative effects in their production in the society being linked to diseases associated with caloric beverages such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes Kass, 2004). Public health experts have highlighted that children and adolescent overweight has become public health threat. The major contributor being consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and other snacks excessively. Many obesity researchers have raised an alarm in concern of the contributory role played by these beverages in weight gain due to consumption in large quantities (Mello, 2008).
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There are efforts taken to restrict students from accessing competitive foods and beverages by the state and local policymakers hence controlling the allocative efficiency. The consumer preference is that at least 50% of all foods available for sale to students during school days comply with nutrition standards ( O'Dea & Eriksen, 2010 ). There are standards that restricted student from accessing food or drinks containing either 40% or more sugar content or more a high ratio of fat to ounce (Mello, 2008). According to Kass, (2004), governmental entities should adhere to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans on the requirements of all consumables available for sale in public schools. The guidelines admonish individuals, specifically children to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.
Dynamic efficiency focuses on changes in the amount of consumer choice available together with the quality of the product. According to Mello (2008), some local schools have active policymakers by banning the sale of foods and beverages that contain little or no nutritional value. Some only permits healthy drinks like water, pure juice, and milk for lower level students and additional electrolyte replacement drinks for high school students ( Konopasek et al., 2017 ). People who have formed a habit of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages rather than water –especially children- find more satiating but less sweet foods like groceries and legumes unappealing or unpalatable. This results to poor quality in their diet intake (Brownell, 2009).
According to Brownell, (2009), defining taxable beverages will develop an effective policy that will regulate the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Taxing beverages that have any added sugar will help administer and promote the consumption of non-caloric beverages, like water. Using threshold approach, this would reduce calorie consumption and encourage industries to reformulate products ( McGinnis et al., 2006 ).
Most effective policies are those that prohibits and regulate the sale and consumption of caloric beverages with sugar sweeteners and enforcement of sale of foods with nutritional benefits to students. When there is a government-industry partnership, government agencies working together with manufacturers will promote the manufacture of more healthy products. Taxiing sugar-sweetened beverages would positively affect their consumption.
References
Brownell, K. D., Farley, T., Willet, W. C., Popkin, B. M., Chaloupka, F. J., Thompson, J. W., & Ludwig, D. S. (2009). The Public Health and Economic Benefits of Taxing Sugar-Sweetened Beverages. The new England journal of medicine, 1599-1605. doi: 10.1056/NEJMhpr0905723
McGinnis, J. M., Gootman, J. A., & Kraak, V. I. (2006). Food marketing to children and youth: Threat or opportunity? . Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
Kass, N., Hecht, K., Paul, A., & Mbimbach, K. (2004). Ethics and Obesity Prevention: Ethical Considerations in 3 Approaches to Reducing Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages. American Journal of Public Health, 104 (5), 787-795. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301708
Konopasek, N., Quirk, M., National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (U.S.)., National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (U.S.)., & Workshop on Strategies to Limit Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption in Young Children: Evaluation of Federal, State, and Local Policies and Programs. (2017). Strategies to Limit Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption in Young Children: Proceedings of a workshop .
Mello, M. M., Pomeranz, J., & Moran, P. (2008). The Interplay of Public Health Law and Industry Self-Regulation: The Case of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Sales in Schools. American Journal of Public Health,98 (4), 595-604. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2006.107680
O'Dea, J. A., & Eriksen, M. P. (2010). Childhood obesity prevention: International research, controversies, and interventions . Oxford: Oxford University Press.
