U.S. study shows that a 10% subsidy for fruits and vegetables would be more efficient than a soft drinks tax

A American study published in June 2017 in PLOS Medicine, Reducing US cardiovascular disease burden and disparities through national and targeted dietary policies: A modelling study, compared different policy interventions to reduce cardiovascular diseases. The interventions included:

1. A 10% tax on SSBs
2. A 10% subsidy on fruits and vegetables
3. A 30% subsidy only for citizens participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
4. A national media campaign on buying more fruits and vegetables and less SSBs
5. A combination of the above

The study demonstrated that the 2^nd intervention was by far the more cost-effective, up to five times more compared to the 10% tax on SSBs.

The authors warn readers that their model did not look at the financial implications of the different interventions.

The full study is available here.