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Priority populations for the SF soda tax

San Francisco Soda Tax
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Priority populations for the SF soda tax

The beverage industry has historically targeted low income communities of color, leading to higher sugary drink consumption and more health problems. Thus, these groups face high rates of chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay. The Sugary Drinks Distributor Tax Advisory Committee has defined the priority populations below and makes funding recommendations to support the people and places most impacted by sugary drinks and related health outcomes.San Francisco Soda Tax homepage

Black/African American

  • Black/African American San Franciscans make up 5.7% of the total population.
  • Black/African American San Franciscan hospitalizations due to type 2 diabetes are 5.5 greater than San Franciscans as a whole. (2024 SDDT Data Brief)
  • Black/African Americans have the highest mortality rates due to diet-related diseases including hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, Alzheimer's, color/rectum cancer, and diabetes mellitus.
  • Black/African American residents and residents earning less than 100% of the FPL have the highest rates of food insecurity. (2023 San Francisco Biennial Food Security & Equity Report)
  • In San Francisco, Black/ African American (31%) kindergarteners have four times the prevalence of untreated dental decay as White kindergarteners (7%). (2024 SDDT Data Brief)
  • Latine and Black/African American students were the most likely to consume at least one sugary drink the day prior to the survey while Asian students were the least likely (67%, 65%, and 54% for Latine, Black, and Asian students, respectively). (2024 SDDT Data Brief)

Latine

  • Latine San Franciscans make up 16.4% of the total population.
  • Latine San Franciscan hospitalizations due to type 2 diabetes are 1.8 times greater than San Franciscans as a whole. (2024 SDD Data Brief)
  • In San Francisco, Latine (32%) kindergarteners have four times the prevalence of untreated dental decay as White kindergarteners (7%). (2024 SDDT Data Brief)
  • Latine and Black/African American students were the most likely to consume at least one sugary drink the day prior to the survey while Asian students were the least likely (67%, 65%, and 54% for Latine, Black, and Asian students, respectively). (2024 SDDT Data Brief)

American Indian/Alaska Native

  • American Indian/Alaskan Native San Franciscans make up 0.8% of the total population.
  • The median income among American Indian/Alaskan Native San Franciscans is $38,750, only one third of the city-wide median income ($126,187). (2023 San Francisco Biennial Food Security & Equity Report)
  • Nationwide, American Indian/Alaska Native adults were 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to be diagnosed with diabetes in 2023. (CDC)

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI)

  • NHOPI San Franciscans make up 0.5% of the total population.
  • NHOPI San Franciscan Hospitalizations due to type 2 diabetes are 6 times greater than San Franciscans as a whole. (2024 SDDT Data Brief)
  • The NHOPI community has the highest mortality rate for ischemic heart disease compared to all SF residents. (2024 SDDT Data Brief)

Asian

  • Asian San Franciscans make up 37.2% of the total population.
  • In San Francisco, Asian (33%) kindergarteners have four times the prevalence of untreated dental decay as White kindergarteners (7%). (2024 SDDT Data Brief)
  • Asian San Franciscan hospitalizations due to type 2 diabetes is lower than San Franciscans as a whole. (2024 SDDT Data Brief)
  • Disaggregating heath data among Asian subgroups reveals disparities. For example, Filipino Americans have a diabetes prevalence of 12.2%, which is 33% higher than the 9.2% prevalence among Asian Americans as a whole. (CDC)

Low Income Populations across each race/ethnicity

  • Children of families living in poverty in San Francisco are more likely to be African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian American/Pacific Islander, and American Indian. (2024 SDDT Data Brief)
  • Two-thirds (67%) of adults in San Francisco below 200% of the federal poverty line (FPL) are food insecure. The estimated healthcare cost of food insecurity in San Francisco in 2019 was $204,564,276. (2023 San Francisco Biennial Food Security & Equity Report)
  • Because sugary drinks and the soda tax hit low-income communities harder, these groups are prioritized to benefit from soda tax programs.