Listening to the Experts: Is There a Place for Food Taxation in the Fight Against Obesity in Early Childhood?

The incidence and prevalence of overweight and obesity has been escalating around the world over the past few decades, including in the early childhood years [1]–[3]. The most recent data from the 2011-2012 Australian Health Survey indicates that 25.1% of children aged 2 to 17 years were overweight or obese, including 18.2% overweight and 6.9% obese based on Body Mass Index (BMI) [4]. Although some recent literature suggests childhood obesity may be starting to plateau in parts of Australia [5],[6], the condition continues to be a global public health priority [7] and there is consensus regarding an urgent need for government to take rapid action [8].