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	Podcast:		UC Science Today
	Episode:		How a soda tax may make a big impact in public health campaigns
	Category:		Science & Medicine
	Duration:		00:01:03
	Publish Date:		2016-10-10 19:00:00
	Description:		Trying to influence behavior in public health campaigns can be tricky because education alone, while important, doesn't always change behavior. And so when it happens naturally, it's a big deal. In an encouraging sign in the fight against obesity, Kris Madsen of the University of California, Berkeley, found a 21 percent drop in the consumption of sugary drinks after the city of Berkeley, California implemented a penny-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. "Looking at the 21 percent drop to me is the most exciting finding of my career because it suggests that here's something that actually has a really big impact and it's incredibly simple and straightforward." Overall, the results suggest that a general excise tax like this, coupled with a public-awareness campaign, can have major benefits. "The other thing that we saw that was really promising in the study was people were drinking more water. So, it looks like people were switching from sugar-sweetened beverages to really what I would say is the healthiest alternative."
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