TESTIMONY FOR THE SENATE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTE

Members of the Public Health Committee, thank you for the opportunity to be here today
to testify in support of amending the proposed Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax or senate bill
0009. I am a policy analyst who specializes in nutrition and obesity related issues. I am here
today on behalf of the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity. The Illinois Alliance to Prevent
Obesity was founded as a result of meetings of over 300 people from groups and communities
across the state of Illinois. Currently, there are more than 140 organizations across Illinois that
have signed onto its goals.

Obesity is a leading public health concern. 30.8% of adults in Illinois are obese, which
is the 18th highest rate in the nation. Furthermore, 1 in 3 children are overweight or obese. There
are significant racial disparities when it comes to who is affected by obesity, with Non-Hispanic
Black Adults being the most likely to be obese, followed by Hispanic Adults and then Non-
Hispanic White Adults. As you may know, obesity is associated with diabetes, hypertension,
heart disease, and many other health conditions. These not only significantly affect the health
and wellbeing of individuals in the state. They are also associated with significant healthcare
costs, loss of productivity, and other economic costs. Due to the health disparities when it comes
to obesity and its co-morbidities these costs are unfairly distributed across the population.

The Illinois health care system spends $6.3 billion per year to treat obesity and obesity-
related health issues. The Illinois Medicaid Program pays $1.09 billion of that. Despite the
extent of the problem in Illinois and the costs it presents, obesity prevention is severely
underfunded.

Sugar-sweetened beverages are the number one source of added sugar in the American
diet and account for the largest single source of calories individuals consume. Consumption of
sugar-sweetened beverages has been associated with obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and
more.

A tax on sugar-sweetened beverages could have a two-fold effect at reducing obesity.

First, the tax would reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages due to higher prices, and
secondly, the tax revenue could be used to fund obesity prevention initiatives. A sugar-
sweetened beverage tax whose sole purpose is to raise revenue is considered regressive, as it

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unfairly targets low-income individuals. Spending the tax revenue in low-income communities
mitigates the negative consequences of a regressive tax. Currently as Senate Bill 0009 stands, it
is just a tax revenue bill.

Amending Senate Bill 0009 is a practical approach to draw the much-needed funding to
prevent obesity. It is estimated to raise $560 million a year. This amendment would allocate
10% of that tax revenue or $56 million to obesity research and prevention programs. This
amendment would be a start to address the underfunding of obesity prevention in Illinois.

In 2004, the general assembly passed the Obesity Study and Prevention Fund Act which
acknowledged that obesity is a serious medical problem and created the Obesity Study and
Prevention Fund. However, this fund remained unfunded until it was ultimately repealed in
2014. The Illinois government has acknowledged that obesity is a problem in Illinois and
requires funding, yet has failed to take action. I am asking you to support amending Senate Bill
0009 and fund obesity prevention now. Thank you for your time.

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