Lay summary
Given the scale of the global obesity epidemic it is critical to understand if interventions to control obesity are effective. The primary aim of this study is to examine the impact of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax on consumption in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). The Pacific region is an excellent site from with which to examine this topic as 13 of 22 PICTs have introduced SSB taxes. The impact of such taxes can be studied before and after using income and expenditure surveys and importation data from PICTs that do not produce SSBs. Findings from regression and panel estimation, are likely to have international implications and inform interventions to protect the health of New Zealanders. The Clinical Training Fellowship will allow Dr Teng to develop skills in time-series and economic analysis, establish a career as an epidemiologist in non-communicable disease control and contribute to strengthened NZ-Pacific links.