Tux of Borg Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/fee...cout530229.htmlThe Fat Tax: A Controversial Tool in War Against Obesity WEDNESDAY, Jan. 11 (HealthDay News) -- In America's ongoing battle of the bulge, one strategy to combat the nation's obesity epidemic has generated more than a decade's worth of attention and controversy. Popularly known as the "fat tax" or the "Twinkie tax," the concept first gained widespread attention in 1994 when Yale University psychology professor Kelly D. Brownell outlined the idea in an op-ed piece in The New York Times. Addressing what he called a "dire set of circumstances," Brownell proposed two food-tax options: A big tax, in the range of 7 percent to 10 percent, to discourage the purchase of unhealthy processed foods while subsidizing healthier choices; or a much smaller tax to fund long-term public health nutrition programs. "The American food system is set up as if maximizing obesity were the aim," Brownell told HealthDay. "So the idea was to tax either certain classes of foods -- like soft drinks or fat foods -- or to just tax specific foods high in calories or low in nutrition. Then you use the income from such a tax to subsidize the sale of healthy foods in order to reverse what is the unfortunate reality now: that it costs more to eat a healthier diet." The tax, said Brownell, would be a pro-active response to a food industry and consumer culture that increasingly promotes high-fat/low-nutrition products as the cheapest, tastiest, most convenient and most available dietary options. Brownell emphasized that, if properly implemented, fat taxes could yield major benefits. For example, slapping a single penny tax onto the cost of soft drinks across the country would generate almost $1.5 billion annually -- a figure that far exceeds the budgets of current government-sponsored nutrition programs, he said. The non-profit Washington, D.C.-based Institute of Medicine (IOM) reports that, in recent years, levies of this kind have, in fact, been imposed -- with states such as Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington creating "fat taxes" on soft drinks sold within their borders. Other states such as California, Maine and Maryland have also experimented with hefty "fat-tax" legislation, Brownell said. However, all the levies were ultimately repealed, highlighting several practical problems with the fat-tax concept identified by both Brownell and the IOM. One big problem is that money collected through fat taxes has typically not been earmarked for obesity-prevention programs or healthy food subsidies; instead they were often used to cover budget deficits. Concerns have also been raised that such a tax is inherently regressive, meaning it punishes poorer people who must spend much of their limited income on food. And although the fat tax appears to have gained popularity as a theoretical approach to weight management, deciding exactly which products are unhealthy, taxable foods is a tricky practical matter. Nonetheless, while the IOM has remained neutral on the fat-tax issue, some legislators across the country are moving full-steam ahead to get food-related levies on the books. New York State Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, a Democrat from New York City, is one such proponent of the fat tax. For three years Ortiz has championed a bill that would ding any foods high in calories, fat or carbs -- including perennial favorites such as potato chips, candies and french fries. The bill would also add a one-cent surcharge on video games. The taxes would generate an estimated $50 million a year, and all the money would be used to augment the state's $1.5 million budget for the Childhood Obesity Prevention Program. The program, established in 2001, is designed to promote healthy eating habits among children and adults through family physician interventions and after-school dietary and physical activity workshops. "We have a very chronic epidemic regarding obesity," said Ortiz. "And we think the food tax is part of the solution. This will be a vehicle to fund the obesity prevention program that can provide the services needed to assure that our children and the working families of the state of New York will get the proper information on healthy lifestyles. It will save lives and the next generation." More information For more on food nutrition and childhood obesity, visit the Institute of Medicine. Taxing Twinkies... what will they think of next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Taxing Twinkies... what will they think of next. 585599[/snapback] You know one thing that's really stood out to me the last few years? High school kids all seem to hvae cars now. The parking lot at the local high school here is HUGE, and every day when i come home from work the number of drivers has to outnumber the number of walkers at least 10-1. When I went to school, I had to walk both ways, regardless of weather, and it was a little over a mile each way. Now kids just drive to school and drive home? In addition, since most parents are too scared to let their kids go out and play, how often do you see kids playing street hockey, football, etc? I never see that where I live... But the solution is obviously to charge an extra 10 cents on a Twinkie. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 When I went to school, I had to walk both ways, regardless of weather, and it was a little over a mile each way. Now kids just drive to school and drive home? Was it uphill both ways? I say bring on the fat tax!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cugalabanza Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Note to God: Please destroy the human race now. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Was it uphill both ways? I say bring on the fat tax!!! 585667[/snapback] No I say bring on the entitilement tax. Taxing people who destroy themselves with bad life decisions and expecting me to foot the bill to repair their health. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCI Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 In addition, since most parents are too scared to let their kids go out and play, how often do you see kids playing street hockey, football, etc? I never see that where I live... But the solution is obviously to charge an extra 10 cents on a Twinkie. CW 585607[/snapback] Good point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVUFootball29 Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 No I say bring on the entitilement tax. Taxing people who destroy themselves with bad life decisions and expecting me to foot the bill to repair their health. 585875[/snapback] Amen to that Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Amen to that Jim 585881[/snapback] Yup - we should definately impose extra tax on beer, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 No I say bring on the entitilement tax. Taxing people who destroy themselves with bad life decisions and expecting me to foot the bill to repair their health. 585875[/snapback] There should also be an UGLY tax. And make me in charge of levying said tax on the UGLY Americans. I have a feeling Tenn. and Kentugly would be the highest taxed states in the union. Just think of that revenue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 They already do tax unhealthy food in NY. Go to a supermarket and buy a candy bar and a bannana (or any fruit). There will only be tax on the candy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Screw it. The real way to take care of business is to institute an application to reproduce. You need a license to drive a friggin car, but any backwoods two bit moron who can figure out where to stick it can have kids. Thats what's truly wrong with society. If you are not fit enough to have a kid, they you should not be allowed ot have them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 There should also be an UGLY tax. And make me in charge of levying said tax on the UGLY Americans. I have a feeling Tenn. and Kentugly would be the highest taxed states in the union. Just think of that revenue. 585888[/snapback] Oh I don't know, I hear there is a state down south that might have the likes of you living there. That alone would wipe out the national debt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjeff215 Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Oh I don't know, I hear there is a state down south that might have the likes of you living there. That alone would wipe out the national debt. 585892[/snapback] 19 - 25 year old southern girls are hot. It's when you get into that mid-30's mountain-momma period.... I agree with Fez. I never see anyone playing outside. As a kid, I used to spend days playing street hockey, football... rode my bicycle everywhere, even into my late teens as I *enjoyed* it. I haven't touched the thing since I moved down here 10 years ago. Why? Because you need to pack the damn thing in the car and drag it to a place where you can safely ride it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpbillsfan Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Yup - we should definately impose extra tax on beer, right? 585887[/snapback] Most states already do and its called the "Sin" tax. I know IL and AR have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Most states already do and its called the "Sin" tax. I know IL and AR have it. 586103[/snapback] That's why I said an EXTRA tax. Not only is it a sin (like cigs), but it also makes you fat (like Twinkies). CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Was it uphill both ways? I say bring on the fat tax!!! 585667[/snapback] In the pouring rain! I say bring it on too... I am for all kinds of taxes! Bleed 'em till they are dry! Only kidding... But, many people probably think that about me... I don't want to disappoint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 They already do tax unhealthy food in NY. Go to a supermarket and buy a candy bar and a bannana (or any fruit). There will only be tax on the candy. 585889[/snapback] I don't think it is a tax on unhealthy food as it is a tax on convienence foods. Hot, prepared foods in the deli case also get taxed... Even if it is healthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 They can have my Twinkie® when they pry it from my cold dead hand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meazza Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Screw it. The real way to take care of business is to institute an application to reproduce. You need a license to drive a friggin car, but any backwoods two bit moron who can figure out where to stick it can have kids. Thats what's truly wrong with society. If you are not fit enough to have a kid, they you should not be allowed ot have them. 585891[/snapback] so what happens if an unfit couple have a kid, you abort it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meazza Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 They can have my Twinkie® when they pry it from my cold dead hand! 586168[/snapback] if you have too many it might be sooner than later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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