Oral Presentation ANZOS-Breakthrough Discoveries Joint Annual Scientific Meeting 2018

Cost-effectiveness of the Victorian sugary drink public education mass media campaign: a modelled analysis (#27)

Nikki McCaffrey 1 , Belinda Morley 2 , Alison McAleese 3 , Victoria Brown 1 , Anita Lal 1 , Melanie Wakefield 2 , Helen Dixon 2 , Jaithri Ananthapavan 1 , Craig Sinclair 3 , Maria Szybiak 4 , Maurice Swanson 5 , Gary Sacks 1 , Rob Carter 1
  1. Deakin Health Economics, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
  2. Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  3. Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  4. Cancer Council WA, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia
  5. Heart Foundation, Subiaco, Western Australia

Introduction: Globally, there are no published cost-effectiveness data available on public education mass media campaigns designed to reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB). This analysis evaluated the costs and benefits of the 2015 Victorian ‘Live Lighter’ campaign which promoted reduced SSB consumption.

Methods: A Markov cohort model predicts the lifetime projected costs and benefits of reducing bodyweight and body mass index (BMI) through changes in SSB consumption in 2010 Victorian adults. Self-reported changes in SSB consumption calculated from survey data collected in a rigorous, controlled, cohort study were used to estimate changes in mean population energy intake and BMI and the incidence, prevalence, mortality, morbidity and healthcare-related costs of nine obesity-related diseases. The economic evaluation, conducted from a funder perspective, provides estimates of the incremental costs (campaign, hospital services, out-of-hospital medical services, pharmaceuticals, health professionals), outcomes (life years gained; health-adjusted life years (HALYs) gained), and cost-effectiveness (incremental cost per HALY gained) of exposure to the campaign versus usual activities. The results are presented in 2010 reference year values (3% discount rate).

Results: A three year campaign, costing approximately $9.8M ($9.1M; $10.5M), results in mean change in body weight of 0.4kg.  Modelled over the lifetime, this produces savings of $51.4M in healthcare costs ($44.6M; $58.0M) and 4,540 (3,938; 5,298) HALYs saved. The campaign is predicted to save 2,744 years of life (2,549; 2,951), and prevent 1,982 (1,506; 2,501) new cases of obesity-related diseases over the lifetime of the population.

Conclusion & Recommendation: The findings suggest the 2015 Victorian ’Live Lighter’ campaign improves health and saves money in the long term with every dollar invested in the campaign estimated to return $5.22 in healthcare cost savings. These results support greater investment in this public health strategy as part of broader obesity prevention efforts.