Browsing by Author "Kaltenbrun, Tayla Ashton"

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    A qualitative analysis of perceptions of various stakeholders on combining nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions with the taxation on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) to improve overall health and nutrition in South Africa
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03) Kaltenbrun, Tayla Ashton; du Plessis, Lisanne Monica; Drimie, Scott; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Global Health. Human Nutrition.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY: Objective: To understand the perceptions of various stakeholders on combining nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions with the taxation on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) to improve overall health and nutrition in South Africa. Design: Qualitative, exploratory, cross-sectional study design. Setting: Gauteng Province, South Africa. Participants: Subject matter experts, managers or senior managers with experience or knowledge of the taxation on SSBs and agriculture for nutrition policies. The study frame included subject matter experts (n = 16) from the following sectors: health (n = 3), food and beverage industry (n = 3), agriculture (n = 6), finance (n = 2) and consumer interests (n = 2). In addition, reference is made to the official position statement of an association affiliated with the sugar industry, since an interview could not be secured with this association. Methods: An in-depth interview discussion guide with probes was used to collect the data. The guide included a short section of demographic-related questions. Results: Perceptions of combining the taxation on SSBs with policies aimed at agriculture, to improve food and nutrition security, the double burden of malnutrition and the economic environment in South Africa, were positive. The participants found it to be an innovative idea in theory but questioned the feasibility of combining policies. Participants highlighted education as an essential element for successfully changing behaviour to ensure a positive impact of the combined policy approach. Participants believed that before government could scale up nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions, basic services and government functions would first need to run optimally. Conclusion: Overall, perceptions with regard to combining the taxation on SSBs with nutrition-sensitive agricultural policies to improve overall health and nutrition in South Africa were positive. Although participants questioned the feasibility of combining these policies, it was viewed as a way to combat alleged collateral damage linked to the tax, with a specific focus on developing small-scale farmers in a South African context. Combined policies could focus on the delivery of education and mass-media campaigns to improve consumer awareness and assist in behaviour change. More research into these combined policy approaches in a South African context is required.
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    A qualitative analysis of perceptions of various stakeholders on nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions, including the taxation on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), to improve overall health and nutrition in South Africa
    (BioMed Central, 2020-09-03) Kaltenbrun, Tayla Ashton; Du Plessis, Lisanne Monica; Drimie, Scott
    Background: As a low-middle income country, South Africa has seen an upsurge in the double burden of malnutrition (DBM). Owing to the rising costs of obesity on healthcare in South Africa, the National Treasury implemented a fiscal policy for the taxation of SSBs, known as the Health Promotion Levy, in line with the WHO recommendation. Potential negative impacts of the policy on the sugar cane industry and economic and rural development have been voiced by different sectors. By including a subsection in the SSBs fiscal policy and aligning the goals with existing policies, government could have made provisions for sugar cane farms to substitute crops with alternatives, including nutritional alternatives where possible, while supporting existing small-scale farms to produce nutrient-dense, local and culturally acceptable crops. Thus, the purpose of the study is to understand the perceptions of the various stakeholders on combining nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions with the taxation on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) to improve overall health and nutrition in South Africa. Methods: Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with each participant. The interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed intelligent verbatim, and cross-checked against the audio-recordings by the principal researcher. ATLAS.ti 8 software was used to navigate the data and assist with thematic analysis. Results: Perceptions of combining SSB taxation with agricultural policies to improve food and nutrition security were positive. The participants found it to be an innovative idea in theory but questioned the feasibility of combining policies. Participants highlighted education as an essential element for successfully changing behaviour to ensure a positive impact of the combined policy approach. Participants believed that before government could scale up nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions, basic services and government functions would first need to run optimally. Conclusion: Overall, perceptions with regard to combining the taxation on SSBs with nutrition-sensitive agricultural policies to improve overall health and nutrition in South Africa were positive. Although participants questioned the feasibility of combining these policies, it was viewed as a way to combat alleged collateral damage linked to the tax, with a specific focus on developing small-scale farmers. More research into these combined policy approaches in a South African context is required.