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fat tax


dmarc117
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http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/...=22&sp=true

 

"Fat tax" could save 3,200 lives each year

Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:16AM EDT

 

By Peter Griffiths

 

LONDON (Reuters) - A "fat tax" on salty, sugary and fatty foods could save thousands of lives each year, according to a study published on Thursday.

 

Researchers at Oxford University say that charging Value Added Tax (VAT) at 17.5 percent on foods deemed to be unhealthy would cut consumer demand and reduce the number of heart attacks and strokes.

 

The purchase tax is already levied on a small number of products such as potato crisps, ice cream, confectionery and chocolate biscuits, but most food is exempt.

 

The move could save an estimated 3,200 lives in Britain each year, according to the study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

 

"A well-designed and carefully-targeted fat tax could be a useful tool for reducing the burden of food-related disease," the study concluded.

 

The team from Oxford's Department of Public Health said higher taxes have already been imposed on cigarettes and alcohol to encourage healthy living.

 

They used a mathematical formula to estimate the effect of higher prices on the demand for foods such as pastries, cakes, cheese and butter.

 

However, they said their research only gave a rough guide to the number of lives that could be saved and said more work was needed to get an exact picture of how taxes could improve public health.

 

Any "fat tax" might be seen as an attack on personal freedom and would weigh more heavily on poorer families, the study warned.

 

A food tax would raise average weekly household bills by 4.6 percent or 67 pence per person.

 

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has previously rejected the idea as an example of the "nanny state" that might push people away from healthy food.

 

The Food and Drink Federation has called the proposed tax patronizing and says it would hit low-income families hardest.

 

It suggests that people eat a balanced diet.

 

The British Heart Foundation said it does not support the tax.

 

"We believe the government should focus on ensuring healthy foods are financially and geographically accessible to everyone," it said.

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I dunno about a fat tax- but I am all for something like this in relation to healthcare. Obese people are a hugh reason why our healthcare is so outta control and expensive. Direct correlation between obesity and health problems, I am hoping we see something happen on that front fairly soon. .

 

 

Already a tax on cigarettes and alcohol - so why not............

Edited by wildcat2334
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I dunno about a fat tax- but I am all for something like this in relation to healthcare. Obese people are a hugh reason why our healthcare is so outta control and expensive. Direct correlation between obesity and health problems, I am hoping we see something happen on that front fairly soon. .

Already a tax on cigarettes and alcohol - so why not............

 

this guy agrees......

 

The former Arkansas governor told reporters in a conference call Wednesday that he hasn't seen and probably won't see Moore's documentary "Sicko," which calls for an overhaul of America's health care system.

 

"Frankly, Michael Moore is an example of why the health care system costs so much in this country. He clearly is one of the reasons that we have a very expensive system. I know that from my own personal experience," said Huckabee, who lost more than 110 pounds and became an avid runner after he was diagnosed with diabetes.

 

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AR_...EMPLATE=DEFAULT

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I dunno about a fat tax- but I am all for something like this in relation to healthcare. Obese people are a hugh reason why our healthcare is so outta control and expensive. Direct correlation between obesity and health problems, I am hoping we see something happen on that front fairly soon. .

Already a tax on cigarettes and alcohol - so why not............

Careful, you're going to piss off Michael Moore ..

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Minnesota State Fair will be a lot more expensive, especially the Snickers Bar On A Stick.

Somehow I can't see fairgoers eating carrot sticks, no matter how high the tax.

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I like the idea. Sin taxes are nothing new, and crappy food is a ginormous cause of societal harm, similar to tobacco and booze. Its only fair to expect those who choose to ingest such nonessentials to pay for a larger share of the resulting economic burden, relative to those who don't. Of course, I'd want the tax revenues earmarked for related services rather than going into a general fund.

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I dunno about a fat tax- but I am all for something like this in relation to healthcare. Obese people are a hugh reason why our healthcare is so outta control and expensive. Direct correlation between obesity and health problems, I am hoping we see something happen on that front fairly soon. .

Already a tax on cigarettes and alcohol - so why not............

That reminds me of something from Supersize me. There's something taboo about obesity. Nobody thinks twice about telling a smoker that they need to quit 'cause they're killing themselves. But tell someone they're fat...that's just rude. Fact is, however, that obesity is causing way more troubles in our society than smoking.

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That reminds me of something from Supersize me. There's something taboo about obesity. Nobody thinks twice about telling a smoker that they need to quit 'cause they're killing themselves. But tell someone they're fat...that's just rude. Fact is, however, that obesity is causing way more troubles in our society than smoking.

The difference is that us smokers can cause damage to others with the by-product of our habit. Unless you're unlucky enough to be in the window seat and get suffocated by some fat bastard in the middle seat, fat folks don't harm anyone else. Leastways, I think that's the logic here.

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I like the idea. Sin taxes are nothing new, and crappy food is a ginormous cause of societal harm, similar to tobacco and booze. Its only fair to expect those who choose to ingest such nonessentials to pay for a larger share of the resulting economic burden, relative to those who don't. Of course, I'd want the tax revenues earmarked for related services rather than going into a general fund.

 

+1

 

I'm all for sin taxes. It's a better solution than penalizing people who take care of themselves via income tax.

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+1

 

I'm all for sin taxes. It's a better solution than penalizing people who take care of themselves via income tax.

Where does all this stop? Are we to have differential taxes for those that don't go to the gym or jog four times a week? Shall we have a rebate if you use the stairs instead of the elevator? What about bunjee jumping, sky diving and other dangerous sports?

 

Shall we all just stay safely in bed all day?

 

Amazing that you of all people would advocate more taxes for anyone.

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The difference is that us smokers can cause damage to others with the by-product of our habit. Unless you're unlucky enough to be in the window seat and get suffocated by some fat bastard in the middle seat, fat folks don't harm anyone else. Leastways, I think that's the logic here.

That's a logical way of looking at it but I doubt that is the thought process that pushes people to act this way. I honestly think that it has more to do with the ugliness element. You don't tell someone they're ugly. To a degree fat=ugly. Smoking is a choice and (though I am certainly not in this camp) one that many people actually think looks attractive.

 

That would be my guess.

 

Oh, and I'm not so sure about your claims about second hand smoke. I'd like to hear what the Surgeon General has to say about that. Oh, wait... nevermind.

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This also reminds me of how iritated I am with the BMI. Right now, I could certainly stand to lose a few pounds but there was a time about 5 years ago when I was in the best shape of my life. I was competing in triathalons, working out 5 days a week, etc. However, when I work out, I put on muscle pretty quickly. So, despite the fact that my body fat was around 11-12%, the fact that I was 5'10" 190 meant that I was like 30 lbs overweight according to the BMI. Do the freaking math! I had maybe 20 lbs of fat and I was pretty much using all of it. How the hell am I going to lose 30 lbs? Chop off a freaking arm? I hadn't weighed 160 since I was like 15 years old.

 

None the less, this is the standard that many insurance companies use to determine your premium.

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