RESEARCH ARTICLE

Evidence that a tax on sug beverages reduces the ob Background high income countries (HICs), NCDs are now having a Cabrera Escobar et al. BMC Public Health 2013, 13:1072 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/13/10721990 to 2010, both globally and in each region [6]. DietaryWitwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleObesity is a global epidemic and is a major risk factor for the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including heart diseases, diabetes and some can-cers [1,2]. Although previously considered a problem of major impact on the economy of low and middle income countries (LMICs) [3]. In the past three decades there have been considerable changes in lifestyle around the world, helped along by globalisation of the food supply and urbanisation [4]. These changes affect diet and de-crease levels of physical activity, thereby increasing body mass index (BMI) [5]. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study (2010) shows an increased share of non-communicable diseases in adults over the period fro