Nearly a third of American children are overweight or obese. In our inner cities a prevalence of obesity of more than 50% is not uncommon. Too many calories in, too little energy out.
With two-thirds of Americans either overweight or obese, policymakers are increasingly looking at taxing as a way to address obesity on a population level.
The tobacco experience showed that education is not enough: regulation, litigation, and legislation are needed too. Increasing taxes on cigarettes has been the single most effective strategy in reducing smoking.
An important part of the obesity story is clearly the huge increase in consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs): carbonated sodas, sweet teas, energy drinks, flavoured water, and sports drinks. Their use has more than doubled in recent years.
"Sadly, we are currently subsidizing the wrong things including the product of corn, which makes the corn syrup in sweetened beverages so inexpensive."
Instead, the agricultural subsidies should be used to make healthful foods such as locally grown vegetables, fruits and whole grains less expensive.
Instead, the agricultural subsidies should be used to make healthful foods such as locally grown vegetables, fruits and whole grains less expensive.
Danish government imposed 25% tax on ice cream, chocolate, sweets, and will increase taxes on soft drinks, tobacco, alcohols to combat obesity, heart disease, and other illnesses. BMJ. http://goo.gl/ixc0
References:
Tax soda, pizza to cut obesity, researchers say | Reuters.
References:
Tax soda, pizza to cut obesity, researchers say | Reuters.
The case of the sugar sweetened beverage tax. BMJ 2010;341:c3719.
Image source: Soft drinks, Wikipedia, public domain.
Updated: 07/16/2010
