Fat Tax On Junk Food - 930 Words

The idea of implementing Fat Tax on junk food in the U.S. has been in the works for quite some time. California is first in the nation to implement the â€Å"fat tax†. This tax will be applied to any items containing more than 2.3% saturated fat, including, dairy products such as cheese and milk, processed foods, pizza, soda, and candy. The purpose of such a tax is to deter consumers from purchasing these unhealthy foods and lower the obesity rate. According to Ogden, Carroll, Kit and Flegal (2014), â€Å"prevalence of obesity in the United States is high, with one-third of adults and 17% of children obese† (â€Å"Prevalence of Childhood Obesity in the United States†, 2014).The number of obese children is alarming, albeit, significant measures have been taken in schools to provide healthier meals. Unfortunately, there is little guidance when it comes to food choices at home. Fat tax on junk food will provide consumers with the guidance and encouragement nee ded to make healthier food choices. There is much controversy when it comes to these taxes and many oppose same. Steven Kurlander, an attorney and blogger for the Huffington Post, is clearly not in favor of implementing fat taxes and refers to these taxes as â€Å"really nothing more than taxes we overweight Americans really can’t afford to pay† (â€Å"Fat Taxes Won’t Slim Down Americans†, 2013†). Kurlander comes across a bit combative and bias but more importantly, he contradicts himself. He compares â€Å"fat tax† to the â€Å"sin tax† whichShow MoreRelatedJunk Food Tax1385 Words   |  6 PagesJunk Food tax is defined asâ€Å"taxing less nutritional value food such as sugary pop while food with high nutritional value will not be taxed.† (Rupert Taylor, 2009). Junk Food is generally consumed by people with a wide range of ages, a majority of children, adults or even elderly love consuming junk food. It is likely to say tha t junk food contains quite a lot of fat and food additives which have low nutritional value and bad to our health. Research appears to show (Dr. Michael Booth, 2009) that theRead MoreObesity : Obesity And Obesity Essay1508 Words   |  7 PagesAlthough it is well known that junk food leads to health risks and obesity, people are still putting unhealthy food into their body daily.   The United States has the highest obesity rate in the world by 6% and the government should be helping to lower that percentage (http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Health/Obesity).   The best for the United States to help the obesity rate is by implementing a fat tax.   A fat tax is a tax on foods that are considered unhealthy and are believed to leadRead MoreThe Issue Of Obesity Among The United Kingdom Government1209 Words   |  5 Pagesgovernment. Some argue that a tax increase on unhealthy food should be implemented by the government in order to increase health levels across the U K, particularly those of children- for whom the current nationwide obesity problem is the most worrying. However, it is not certain whether implementing this tax will be economically viable. By evaluating the repercussions of introducing this tax on welfare and efficiency, this report will assess whether or not this tax is economically justifiable. BackgroundRead MoreShould The Government Add Extra Tax On Junk Foods? Essay1315 Words   |  6 PagesGovernment Add Extra Tax on Junk Foods? The rate of junk and fatty food consumption has grown in the United States compared to the past few decades. Lifestyle reports indicate that one of the primary issues that were altered is the type of diet that people consume. Currently, it seems like many people eat junk foods almost daily. Junk food refers to any diet that has insufficient nutritional value and unhealthy ingredients. The U.S. government should add extra taxes to junk foods to promote a healthierRead MoreMalnutrition : The Common Misconception1290 Words   |  6 Pagesnutrition resulting from insufficient food, unbalanced diet, or defective assimilation . Malnutrition can be caused by starvation, medical conditions, an unbalanced diet, or problems with digestion or absorption. Junk food is one of the leading causes of malnutrition since most of its calories come from sugar and fat, not necessary vitamins or minerals, so a junk food tax should be put into place. This tax would make junk food, and some other non-nutri tional food, more expensive than the produce thatRead MoreThe Implementation Of A Fat Tax1158 Words   |  5 Pages The implementation of a â€Å"Fat Tax† is a topic that has been considered before in the UK. This is an additional tax on junk food, seeking to reduce the consumption of products containing high levels of fats, sugars and cholesterol. One of the primary considerations for such a tax is the scale of the obesity problem in the UK. Today’s obesity level in the UK is three times the 1980s level, currently 24.9% and is the highest in Europe (Nhs.uk 2015). The extent of the UK confectionery market size, whichRead MoreEssay On Fighting Obesity Through Taxation1408 Words   |  6 PagesFighting obesity through taxation: Are fat-taxes effective? 1. Introduction The global growing number of obese among adults and children is alarming and is one of the biggest public health issues that health systems are facing (Laura Cornelsen et al. 2014). In 2014 adults overweight prevalence was estimated at 1.9 billion worldwide of these 600 million were obese and this number keeps increasing at a noticeable pace. Nearly one-thirds of the world population is obese or overweight and 41 millionRead MoreA Brief Note On Unfair Taxing Of Food1268 Words   |  6 Pages Unfair Taxing of Food Miraaj Pirali Houston Baptist University â€Æ' Food is a necessity. People must eat to stay alive. However, what people eat is completely up to them. There are people that prefer to eat healthy and stay fit, and then there are those that that prefer an unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle. Those that lead an unhealthy lifestyle tend to eat foods high in fats, sugars, and unhealthy chemicals. Foods such as these cause obesity and other health related problems. There are manyRead MoreThe Obesity Epidemic in the United States664 Words   |  3 Pagesnationality. Some obese countries have enforced an extra high tax on fast foods and other high calorie foods, and many people believe that the U.S. should adopt the fat tax as well. According to Dictionary.com, the fat tax is â€Å"a tax imposed on or proposed for high-fat or otherwise unhealthy foodstuffs†. Although a tax on junk food could reduce obesity, the low prices could protect low income families from going broke, and therefore a tax on junk food would not be beneficial to America. One of the mainRead MoreJunk Food Taxes1144 Words   |  5 Pagesof implementing a junk food tax was proposed by several experts. The purpose of the tax was to decrease the consumption of unhealthy foods. This tax would also generate revenue earmarked for relevant causes, such as; improving diet, obesity prevention, and nutrition education. The underlying purpose is to focus on maximizing health benefits. It has sparked controversy on the levels of additional bureaucracy, interfering with personal liberties, and freedom of choice. Junk-Food Taxes Introduction