Egypt: A Tax On Sugary Drinks in Egypt Could Reduce Disease and Save U.S.$1.8 Billion in Healthcare Costs - Modelling Study
A new modelling study suggests that implementing a 20% tax on sugary drinks in Egypt could significantly reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases. The study estimates substantial savings in healthcare costs for the country.
Why it matters
It provides economic and health-based evidence for public policy interventions in developing nations facing rising obesity and diabetes rates.
Non-communicable diseases - heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer - are no longer just a rich-country problem. Across Africa, they are becoming the leading cause of death, driven in part by a simple and overlooked culprit: what people drink.
Globally , 2.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cardiovascular disease cases were attributable to sugar-sweetened beverages in 2020 alone, with the highest burdens falling on sub-Saharan Africa. A recent time-series study across nine African countries found that rising sugary drink sales between 2010 and 2024 were closely associated with increasing rates of type 2 diabetes, particularly in countries undergoing rapid urbanisation.
Yet most African governments have done little about it.
As health economists working on these diseases, we wanted to quantify exactly what a targeted tax on sugary drinks could achieve, and whether the numbers were large enough to compel action.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in