Examining the news media reaction to a national sugary beverage tax in South Africa: a quantitative content analysis
Abstract Background South Africa was the first sub-Saharan African country to implement a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax called the Health Promotion Levy (HPL) in April 2018. Given news media can increase public awareness and sway opinions, this study analyzed how the media represented the HPL,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10460-1 |
| _version_ | 1818848107032477696 |
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| author | Michael Essman Fernanda Mediano Stoltze Francesca Dillman Carpentier Elizabeth C. Swart Lindsey Smith Taillie |
| author_facet | Michael Essman Fernanda Mediano Stoltze Francesca Dillman Carpentier Elizabeth C. Swart Lindsey Smith Taillie |
| author_sort | Michael Essman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background South Africa was the first sub-Saharan African country to implement a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax called the Health Promotion Levy (HPL) in April 2018. Given news media can increase public awareness and sway opinions, this study analyzed how the media represented the HPL, including expressions of support or challenge, topics associated with the levy, and stakeholder views of the HPL. Methods We performed a quantitative content analysis of online South African news articles related to the HPL published between January 1, 2017 and June 30, 2019. We coded the presence or absence of mentions related to health and economic effects of the HPL and HPL support or opposition. Prevalence of these mentions, overall and by source (industry, government, academics, other), were analyzed with Pearson χ2 and post-hoc Fisher exact tests. Results Across all articles, 81% mentioned health, and 65% mentioned economics topics. 54% of articles expressed support, 26% opposition, and 20% a balanced view of the HPL. All sources except industry expressed majority support for the HPL. Health reasons were the most common justifications for support, and economic harms were the most common justifications for opposition. Statements that sugar intake is not related to obesity, the HPL will not reduce SSB intake, and the HPL will cause industry or economic harm were all disproportionately high in industry sources (92, 80, and 81% vs 25% prevalence in total sample) (p < 0.001). Statements that sugar intake is related to obesity and non-communicable diseases were disproportionately high in both government (46 and 54% vs 31% prevalence in total sample) (p < 0.001) and academics (33 and 38% vs 25% prevalence in total sample) (p < 0.05). Statements that the HPL will improve health and the HPL will reduce health care costs were disproportionately high in government (47% vs 31% prevalence in total sample) (p < 0.001) and academics (44% vs 25% prevalence in total sample) (p < 0.05), respectively. Conclusions Industry expressed no support for the HPL, whereas academics, government, and other sources mainly expressed support. Future studies would be improved by linking news media exposure to SSB intake data to better understand the effects news media may have on individual behavior change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T06:12:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0552c3280d2e44b9afa584e0f2349ac2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T06:12:05Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-0552c3280d2e44b9afa584e0f2349ac22022-12-21T20:32:58ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582021-03-0121111410.1186/s12889-021-10460-1Examining the news media reaction to a national sugary beverage tax in South Africa: a quantitative content analysisMichael Essman0Fernanda Mediano Stoltze1Francesca Dillman Carpentier2Elizabeth C. Swart3Lindsey Smith Taillie4Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillCarolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillHussman School of Journalism and Media, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillFaculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western CapeGillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillAbstract Background South Africa was the first sub-Saharan African country to implement a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax called the Health Promotion Levy (HPL) in April 2018. Given news media can increase public awareness and sway opinions, this study analyzed how the media represented the HPL, including expressions of support or challenge, topics associated with the levy, and stakeholder views of the HPL. Methods We performed a quantitative content analysis of online South African news articles related to the HPL published between January 1, 2017 and June 30, 2019. We coded the presence or absence of mentions related to health and economic effects of the HPL and HPL support or opposition. Prevalence of these mentions, overall and by source (industry, government, academics, other), were analyzed with Pearson χ2 and post-hoc Fisher exact tests. Results Across all articles, 81% mentioned health, and 65% mentioned economics topics. 54% of articles expressed support, 26% opposition, and 20% a balanced view of the HPL. All sources except industry expressed majority support for the HPL. Health reasons were the most common justifications for support, and economic harms were the most common justifications for opposition. Statements that sugar intake is not related to obesity, the HPL will not reduce SSB intake, and the HPL will cause industry or economic harm were all disproportionately high in industry sources (92, 80, and 81% vs 25% prevalence in total sample) (p < 0.001). Statements that sugar intake is related to obesity and non-communicable diseases were disproportionately high in both government (46 and 54% vs 31% prevalence in total sample) (p < 0.001) and academics (33 and 38% vs 25% prevalence in total sample) (p < 0.05). Statements that the HPL will improve health and the HPL will reduce health care costs were disproportionately high in government (47% vs 31% prevalence in total sample) (p < 0.001) and academics (44% vs 25% prevalence in total sample) (p < 0.05), respectively. Conclusions Industry expressed no support for the HPL, whereas academics, government, and other sources mainly expressed support. Future studies would be improved by linking news media exposure to SSB intake data to better understand the effects news media may have on individual behavior change.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10460-1Sugar-sweetened beveragesTaxPolicySouth AfricaObesityDiabetes |
| spellingShingle | Michael Essman Fernanda Mediano Stoltze Francesca Dillman Carpentier Elizabeth C. Swart Lindsey Smith Taillie Examining the news media reaction to a national sugary beverage tax in South Africa: a quantitative content analysis BMC Public Health Sugar-sweetened beverages Tax Policy South Africa Obesity Diabetes |
| title | Examining the news media reaction to a national sugary beverage tax in South Africa: a quantitative content analysis |
| title_full | Examining the news media reaction to a national sugary beverage tax in South Africa: a quantitative content analysis |
| title_fullStr | Examining the news media reaction to a national sugary beverage tax in South Africa: a quantitative content analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Examining the news media reaction to a national sugary beverage tax in South Africa: a quantitative content analysis |
| title_short | Examining the news media reaction to a national sugary beverage tax in South Africa: a quantitative content analysis |
| title_sort | examining the news media reaction to a national sugary beverage tax in south africa a quantitative content analysis |
| topic | Sugar-sweetened beverages Tax Policy South Africa Obesity Diabetes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10460-1 |
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