Do You Agree With A Fat Food Tax? - Angry Trainer Fitness

Time for another Angry Issue here on the site ? and here?s a topic that?s been picking up quite a lot of steam recently ? The Fat Food Tax.

As you may have read, Denmark has become the first country in the world to impose a tax surcharge on foods that have more than 2.3% saturated fat. So favorite foods such as butter, milk, cheese, pizza, oils and meats will now cost more. Interestingly Denmark?s obesity rate is just 10 percent, compared to our near 30% national average.

The idea of a fat food tax has been tossed around for a while now, all in the name of reducing obesity and the associated health issues. Theoretically, people who indulge in the bad stuff regularly usually end up having more health issues, and consequently we all pay it for it in inflated health insurance and medical costs. At least that?s the argument. But are those of us who occasionally eat fatty food as a treat now going to pay more because others eat it to excess? That doesn?t sound right does it?

On the one hand, this tax doesn?t affect me much because I eat junk food so rarely, I won?t really feel it in my wallet. On the other hand, if this tax would significantly reduce our health insurance rates, then I might be interested. As a fitness professional, I?m thinking, ?Yes, tax the people who eat garbage?, but as an American, I think it?s a violation of an individual?s right to choose. Plus, there?s no mention of whether or not dining out at restaurants, or eating fast food would also be including in the tax.

I know those who propose the tax say we could use the funds for nutrition education, or to offset healthcare costs, but I?m a little pessimistic. I think the extra money collected would get lost in the system and nothing would change. Plus, other advocates of the program seem to think making fat food more costly would reduce it?s consumption, and lower our rate of obesity. There are two problems with that line of thinking. First, fattening food is not the only food that adds inches to a waistline. Obesity is a result of eating too much for too long of many foods, so overeating sugar and high carbohydrate meals will also cause weight gain and possibly adult onset diabetes. Should we tax bagels, white flour products, and candy too? The line is quite blurred.

Plus, as we?ve seen with the price of cigarettes, cost often isn?t a deterrent when it comes to reducing sales of a harmful product. So I personally don?t think that taxing fattening foods will really change what people eat all that much.

My issue once again is that all of these solutions to reduce obesity are just band-aids, and not real fixes. Making food cost more so people can?t afford it doesn?t provide food education or nutrition information to those who need it. We need education to stop obesity, not taxes! But that?s my angry opinion!

So what do you think? Should we tax fatty foods? Do you think it would help reduce obesity levels in the US? Fire away?

Source: http://www.angrytrainerfitness.com/2011/10/angry-issues-do-you-agree-with-a-fat-food-tax/

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