Investigating the potential health and economic benefits of taxing processed meats

Abstract

Processed meats are a part of many cultures' diets around the world. Despite research that outlines a strong correlation between processed meat consumption and chronic disease incidence, their consumption is nearly one fifth of all meat in the United States. With healthcare costs skyrocketing and Indiana's population health degenerating, it is important to better understand the possible impact of decreased consumption of processed meats on health in the Hoosier state. Drawing on the primary research of others, this paper investigates the potential health and economic benefits of a tax on processed meats.