soda tax poll

majority of californians support soda tax to fund
obesity prevention programs

OVERVIEW. On April 20, 2010, the California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA) released findings of a Field Research Corporation poll on Californians’ attitudes about taxing soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages as a way to fund obesity prevention programs.

THE POLL. The public opinion poll, commissioned by CCPHA, was conducted from March 9-15, 2010 by telephone by the Field Research Corporation. The poll asked a representative sample of 503 registered California voters about increasing funding for childhood obesity and taxing sugar-sweetened beverages.

THE FINDINGS. The poll found that, even in the midst of the current recession, a solid majority (56 percent) of California voters support taxing sodas and other sweetened beverages to fund childhood obesity programs. The poll also showed majority support in major regions of the state, including the San Francisco Bay Area (60 percent), Los Angeles County (61 percent) and other Southern California counties including San Diego and Orange Counties (54 percent). Support was also very strong among low-income (60 percent) and Latino (66 percent) voters. The poll has a sampling error of +/- 4.5 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.

For detailed findings and summary information, see the Press Release, Fact Sheet and Spokespersons List.

POLICY IMPLICATIONS. Findings from the Field Research poll indicate strong support for taxing soda and for increasing funding for school-based strategies to address childhood obesity. Legislation currently being considered in California (SB 1210, Florez) would establish a tax of one penny per teaspoon of added sugar or high fructose corn syrup, raising $1.5 billion for childhood obesity programs.

CCPHA and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research released Bubbling Over: Soda Consumption and Its Link to Obesity in California in 2009. This landmark study provides important scientific evidence of the direct contribution of sugar-sweetened beverages to California's $41 billion obesity epidemic. Summary study information is available from the Policy Brief and fact sheets describing adult soda consumption and overweight and obesity for each county, soda consumption for all age groups for each county, and soda consumption for all age groups for selected cities. B-roll footage is also available.

Support for this project was provided by grants from The California Endowment.