Fiscal Policies and Nutrition in Sri Lanka: The Effectiveness of Sugar Sweetened Beverage Taxes

14 December 2021

Rising rates of obesity and incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have long been a concern for the Sri Lanka’s health sector. Taxes and regulations on unhealthy food are common fiscal policies aimed at making unhealthy food less affordable. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends using such methods to influence consumer behaviours and reduce the dietary risk of NCDs. The Sri Lankan government has introduced several fiscal and regulatory policies to promote a healthier food environment. Dr Nisha Arunatilake presented initial findings of an IPS study which examines the effectiveness of these policies on unhealthy food habits at the workshop on ‘Fiscal Policies and Nutrition: Sugar Sweetened Beverage Taxes’ organised by the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia and ARK (Advancement through Research and Knowledge) Foundation.