Preventing obesity is a key focus for Australian governments, emphasising both individual responsibility and governmental roles. Governments can promote health behaviours by shaping the physical environment (e.g., providing safe cycle paths), offering economic incentives (e.g., imposing taxes on unhealthy foods), implementing policies (e.g., funding weight-loss services), and influencing social-cultural factors (e.g., through advertising campaigns).
This paper specifically explores the evidence related to economic incentives in the form of targeted taxes and subsidies on food and beverages as a strategy to address obesity.
