1.
South Africa's Health Promotion Levy: Excise tax findings and equity potential.
Hofman, KJ, Stacey, N, Swart, EC, Popkin, BM, Ng, SW
Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity. 2021;(9):e13301
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
In 2016, the South African government proposed a 20% sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax. Protracted consultations with beverage manufacturers and the sugar industry followed. This resulted in a lower sugar-based beverage tax, the Health Promotion Levy (HPL), of approximately 10% coming into effect in April 2018. We provide a synthesis of findings until April 2021. Studies show that despite the lower rate, purchases of unhealthy SSBs and sugar intake consumption from SSBs fell. There were greater reductions in SSB purchases among both lower socioeconomic groups and in subpopulations with higher SSB consumption. These subpopulations bear larger burdens from obesity and related diseases, suggesting that this policy improves health equity. The current COVID-19 pandemic has impacted food and nutritional security. Increased pandemic mortality among people with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension highlight the importance of intersectoral public health disease-prevention policies like the HPL, which should be strengthened.
2.
Bernardino Ramazzini's De Morbis Artificum Diatriba on Workers' Health-the Birth of a New Discipline.
Franco, G
Journal of UOEH. 2021;(3):341-348
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
This paper provides a picture of the observations made over three hundred years ago by Bernardino Ramazzini (1633-1714) in light of current topical issues ranging from health problems related to work and lifestyle habits to the current burdensome COVID-19 pandemic. The main aspects of his work consist of descriptions of disorders linked to environmental risks, suggestions for measures for risk protection, and recommendations for healthy living. This paper focuses on Ramazzini's most relevant achievements by (1) analyzing the episodes that stimulated the composition of his main work and highlighting some observations on which current epidemiological and toxicological studies are based; (2) reviewing his work showing not only the systematic descriptions of work-related illnesses caused by occupational factors but also his sound etiological and physiopathological contributions to the field of occupational lung diseases, breast cancer, and environmental disorders; and (3) remarking on his main observations in the fields of risk prevention and health promotion, also in the light of some highly topical issues related to unhealthy lifestyle habits and the COVID-19 pandemic.
3.
Community-Academic Partnerships to Promote Health Literacy and Address Social Needs Among Low-Income Families During COVID-19.
Haidar, A, Khoei, A, Alex, SE, Blick, C, Lopez, E, Wendt, S, Ghanta, R, Almohamad, M, Cousins, S, Noyola, J, et al
Journal of nutrition education and behavior. 2021;(1):75-78
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
Brighter Bites is a school-based health promotion program that delivers fresh produce and nutrition education to low-income children and their families across 6 locations in the US. This article provides a perspective on how, despite coronavirus disease 2019-related school closures, Brighter Bites pivoted rapidly to collaborate with medical and public health institutions to improve health and food literacy among their families. Through these partnerships, Brighter Bites was able to rapidly provide accurate, evidence-based information related to coronavirus disease 2019 and other social needs, including food, housing, transportation, and access to health care, to help fill a needed gap in vulnerable communities.