Is it time to introduce a fat tax?

[SKATERBUN]

At first I thought, noooooo!!!! I love junk food but I'm not obese (I'm a size 6) But actually if it cost more maybe I wouldn't be so tempted to buy it and my diet would be a little better lol

See the thing is... its not just about obesity is it. Its about health. I know a few girls who are like sticks but eat shite all the time but if you asked them to run 10k they'd laugh at you.

Health isnt just about a healthy weight. You can be thin but still have health complications brought on by poor diet.

Oh yes, you can be as thin as a stick and still suffer high cholesterol levels which can lead to heart disease. I'd support a fat tax as I suffer from above average cholesterol for my age becuase its heriditary in my family, I'm normal weight so its irrelevant to how much you weigh.
I think if healthy food was cheaper and promoted more I would sooner eat this than choose the lazy option as at the end of the day I do feel better for treating my body better. But saying that I dont eat a lot of pies and chips anyway, chocolate and crisps maybe

 

[buttonnose82]

ugh, i have just read that the government is going to pull funding on the change4life public health campaign

So they are taking away their part in educating people about obesity

talk about backside first!

things will never get better if people aren't educated!

 

[SKATERBUN]

Did any of the change4life public health campaign sink in with some people or was it just a labour gimmick?? Is there any way to measure if a campaign has been effective or is is chucking good money over bad.
Also heard that all Jamie Olivers good works gone to waste as the catering companies in charge of school meals are back to buying cheap ingredients again!

 

[babyblog]

I'd happily pay more for fatty foods, at least people have the choice to eat them or not x

 

[rubixcyoob.]

In my school they stop selling things like chips, curly fries etc. for a while and head 'healthy' meals. Yet they still had a vending machine full of chocolate and crisps, sold fizzy juice, burgers and had chips with main meals on occassion. Where is the healthyness in that?

 

[buttonnose82]

I watched a program (one of jamie olivers school dinner's ones i think) before about schools in I think it was italy, it said it was actually illegal for a school to not use organic fresh food, the children ALL eat school dinners, they have no choice, it is 1 thing or nothing, they eat together in their classroom along with their teacher who eats the exact same meal as the children, then they are given fresh fruit for pudding.

All food was delivered fresh each morning and freshly prepared and cooked onsite, when he pulled out a bag of turkey twizzlers they went mad, shouted at him and told him to get it out of their kitchen right away!

 

[JASMAK]

Yeah, I suppose. I mean, you don't HAVE to buy these items, so if you eat healthy, you don't have to pay the extras anyways. I am in Canada, and we have a similar health care as the UK...so, we pay for other's too...and that makes it all our problem.

 

[Blah11]

I agree girls, the fat tax is about health, not just obesity although its obviously a huge part of it. The 'fat tax' wouldnt affect overweight people who eat healthily anyway or people who like the odd treat. Its not as if you have to pay 30% income tax instead of 20% if you have a BMI over 25 lol

 

[Lexi's Mummy]

Hmm its has a good point behind it... but the 'poor people' (i hate to generalise) who live off fast food and take aways will become poorer because many (including myself) have never been taught about fresh igredients and cooking.
If they r going to make fatty foods more expensive they need to reduce the cost of fresh food alot and teach people and children from a young age how to cook!!!

i like how ppl think poor people live on fast food and takeaways.. to live off fast food and takeaways is pretty expensive, for the price of a chinese chow mein (1 person-1 meal) £5 could buy you much more that could be stretched, i agree alot of people that a worse off than others take the options of fattier foods because they tend to be cheaper.. x

 

[Blah11]

i spend less on ready meals than i do on 'scratch' meals.




p.s. whoever said about it being called fat tax - its called fat tax because the tax will be for fatty foods lol not cos people are fat.

 

[pinkmummy]

I personally don't think it will deter people.

BUT I do agree that fresh fruit and veg etc is TOO expensive

Also to throw another spanner in the works ... diabetics. Not sure which but one type you have to have sugar to perk yourself up don't you x

 

[Rhi_Rhi1]

LOL i think i did ... but i did as a joke ? lol

 

[bluebaby]

I really don't think that putting a tax on fatty and/or sugary foods and drinks would make any difference to the people who are buying these types of food. People continue to buy alcohol and cigarettes even although they keep going up in price because they enjoy them and will find the money no matter what. Plus fatty foods are not the only contributing factor to obesity, if the people don't tackle their whole lifestyle, including exercise then there will always be an obesity problem.

I feel that we are being constantly lectured on how we should live our life and this is just something else to add to the list.

 

[Blah11]

Regardless it'll help pay for the huge bills the NHS now have due to obesity. Tobacco and alcohol have huge taxes for the same reason so it's apt that foods high in fat and sugar should be too.

 

[bluebaby]

Regardless it'll help pay for the huge bills the NHS now have due to obesity. Tobacco and alcohol have huge taxes for the same reason so it's apt that foods high in fat and sugar should be too.

Thats true i suppose, the money from the taxes could pay for treatment for coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes all the things that can be a side effect of obesity or to promote sensible food choices and exercise.

 

[lozzy21]

But not every one is fat because they eat food's that are high in sugar and fat.

Pasta, bread and potato's are heathy for you but in the wrong quantities the carbs that arnt burnt off turn to sugar which turns to fat.

Eating foods in the wrong portions can be just as bad for you.

 

[JASMAK]

I personally don't think it will deter people.

BUT I do agree that fresh fruit and veg etc is TOO expensive

Also to throw another spanner in the works ... diabetics. Not sure which but one type you have to have sugar to perk yourself up don't you x

I am diabetic and I use glucose tabs or fruit or fruit juice when I am low.

 

[JASMAK]

But not every one is fat because they eat food's that are high in sugar and fat.

Pasta, bread and potato's are heathy for you but in the wrong quantities the carbs that arnt burnt off turn to sugar which turns to fat.

Eating foods in the wrong portions can be just as bad for you.

Pasta and bread are bad for you if they are white. Potatoes are bad if they are fried.

 

[auzelia]

maybe the NHS should stop giving so many overweight people gastric bypasses and other such operations, that would save a few pennies right there!

 

[lulu61388]

there is already a tax on soda in some states in the US, it doesn't stop anybody from buying it. i won't stop either, i'm an adult and can choose to drink what i'd like to. additional taxes opposed on soda in the states have gone up for votes and they've all been rejected. those companies have so much money to spend on campaigns to keep the taxes away.