Is it time to introduce a fat tax?

[Blah11]

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.

yes but you need carbs, You don't need sugar or very high in fat food. They arent good nutritionally whatsoever.

 

[JASMAK]

I was thinking it was a good idea just to help to pay for the costs of people with medical conditions caused by bad food choices (type II diabetes, heart attack, stroke etc). I wasn't thinking for determent. It's a good way for those who eat it, to pay for those who also eat it. LOL!

 

[auzelia]

can I just say Nanny state!

 

[Blah11]

Nanny state? I dont think its an example of a nanny state at all

 

[rubixcyoob.]

I can kind of see it as a 'nanny state' perception.
The government is again stepping in and coddling us into a healthier lifestyle (by raising taxes on 'bad' foods), whereas it should really be up to the individuals and not forced upon by the government.

However, I do believe that without this, our whole countries health would be severely worse off, so it is needed.

 

[polo_princess]

Im all for it, but ONLY if they were to significantly reduce the cost of "healthy living" thats both food and access to sufficient exercise (gyms, swimming etc,)

 

[rubixcyoob.]

^^ wss.
What I don't get is that VAT is supposed to be going up anyways, so the price of healthy living is going to go up as well :/

 

[Hayley90]

Cant believe i have only just seen this thread!

I have to say, im all for it - as long as the extra money raised (or a great chunk of it) went to paying for/offsetting the cost of the healthcare needed for those who are obese (by diet, not hereditary diseases) and educating children in school about food preparation & healthy cooking and what REALLY goes into pre made food.

My cookery classes at school consisted of making healthy food BUT we were told what to make (fruit salad...yeah loads of cooking involved there!) risotto (no vegetarian option was provided!!!) and a curry during arts week where we sat for 40 minutes while an Indian lady made the most amazing curry using about 5000 ingredients & we got to taste it. I remembered... NONE of it, and to this day my cooking is sh*t!

there was more paperwork & timewasting rather than actual cooking. Nothing about pre-made food at all, far too much focus on uncooked food & e-coli etc... which to be honest, we all knew that cleaning a worktop properly and keeping meat and veg separate would stop that. Whereas the girls who took cookery as a GCSE (over textiles/graphics/woodwork) were taught more about battery farms etc, and were actually allowed free reign to cook quite a lot - but this meant ANYTHING - the number of girls who got the idea to replicate a big mac was unbelievable!!!!!

I dont think it would particularly hit people very hard in terms of money spent in a big shop, and if it did surely this would be for those buying HUGE quantities of the stuff, which should really cut down anyway

And for those who enjoy occasional treats, or make part of their meals (frozen chips for example) using these foods, they wont really see much difference (pennies rather than pounds) iykwim? so they wont feel the pinch as much.

x

 

[polo_princess]

Healthy eating is sooooo hard, esp to get your "5 a day"

Peppers are 80p each in my local Tesco

 

[sophxx]

im all for it! i dont see there is a need to be clincaly obese but if people choose to be than im sure putting costs up wont change that! in our area they are educated with cooking classes free for everyone every age yet they dont want to do that!

 

[Hayley90]

oh and the thing about expensive fruit - you're telling me!!!! i try my best to buy enough fruitand veg for us to eat in our meals, but unless i spent a stupid amount every few days (so the buggers dont go mouldy before i eat them!) i just cant do it.

5 a day seems hard if you think of the sheer amount of stuff you'd need to eat, but i reckon i could do it - if it weren't so expensive to get 5 a day in the first place!

eta - honeydew melons are 2 for £2 in sainsburys atm or £1.99 each which is marvellous marketing if you ask me

 

[polo_princess]

Ive found the best way to go about it is to do your fruit & veg shop in 2 lots, so buy enough to last Mon - Thurs, then shop again from Thurs - Mon, that way you only buy what you need and stuff doesnt spoil because it doesnt get eaten quick enough

We dont eat so much fruit in this house but we do eat a lot of veggies!! At least i will have saved some pennies growing my own this year

 

[Blah11]

^^ wss.
What I don't get is that VAT is supposed to be going up anyways, so the price of healthy living is going to go up as well :/

fresh fruit and veg and stuff doesnt have VAT on it.

 

[Blah11]

PP were the complete opposite. We eat shed loads of fruit but not so many veg just peppers, onions and peas and corn really LOL oh and salad stuff.

 

[Hayley90]

i eat lots of veg, hardly any fruit my oranges went green because i forgot i had them

liam just doesnt LIKE anything, so he eats utter rubbish then goes to the gym. just shows how different people can be... which is why i think overall this "fat tax" could work... no one should eat such vast quantities of the stuff that they see a financial difference, yet the money raised should help a HUGE amount.

 

[rubixcyoob.]

^^ wss.
What I don't get is that VAT is supposed to be going up anyways, so the price of healthy living is going to go up as well :/

fresh fruit and veg and stuff doesnt have VAT on it.

Ahhh!
I knew certain foods and drinks and other items had VAT, but only really knew of baby clothings and such which doesn't have VAT on it. Or so I was told

If they aren't taxed why are they so expensive!? When I stayed at halls in uni it was cheaper to buy tins of foods like hotdogs, pot noodles etc. than eat healthily because it cost so much more to buy things fresh I blame that for part of my weight gain both during pregnancy and pre-pregnancy lol.

 

[polo_princess]

We usually have 2 or 3 portions of veg with our evening dinner, and salad with my lunch. We dont eat many carbs with our evening meal so bump it up with tons of veggies

My trouble with fruit is that i dont feel like im eating anything, or i dont feel satisfied afterwards .. with the exception of cherries

 

[lulu61388]

i would only agree to a "fat tax" in the us if the profits made from it went into better meals for public schools. some kids don't have the option to eat anything all day except for what is provided to them by the school and it ends up being pizza, chicken nuggets and fries.

ketchup is honestly considered a vegetable in some school districts. its terrible.

 

[HannahGraceee]

My boyfriend would die if the fizzy drinks were getting more expensive LOL x

 

[buttonnose82]

increased tax on cigarettes didn't work, people still smoke, increased tax on alcohol didn't work, they still drink, increased tax on petrol didn't work, they still drive, so don't see why the government think a increased tax on fatty food would work? sounds really like just another way to mask a tax increase

Like i said before in regards to fruit and veg ...... check out aldi, they do a super 6 every week (or maybe 2 weeks) where 6 different fruit and veg are only 39p (currently cucumber, lettuce, tomato, spring onion, cabbage & avocado) Also shop seasonal, if you buy the fruit and veg that is currently in season it is ALOT cheaper than buying stuff out of season that is therefore imported so costs more as they have to cover shipping to this country