This chapter provides a detailed analysis of the economic, legal and public policy rationales for the application of taxes and other fiscal measures on health-related commodities. The motivation for such taxes has been more often linked to the fiscal revenues generated than to their potential...

1. Introduction: Obesity and the economics of prevention -- 2. Obesity : past and projected future trends -- 3. The social dimensions of obesity -- 4. How does obesity spread? -- 5. Tackling obesity : the roles of governments and markets -- 6. The impact of inventions -- 7. Information,...

"This book, the product of a multi-year knowledge-exchange effort led by WHO staff, represents the first in-depth global treatment of health taxes as an independent domain of social policy. It discusses the principal health taxes that are, and that are likely to be in future, of interest to...