A Tax to Combat Obesity

Taxing Junk Food To Beat Obesity

Global governments must get tough on obesity and take more action including the introduction of a junk food tax if the obesity crisis is going to be tackled according to experts in this piece reported by BBC News Health. Obesity-related problems are now accounting for between 2-6% of health care costs in many countries.

Fast Food Tax To Reduce Obesity Problem

The researchers accepted that the whole of society – from the individual to industry – had a role to play in tackling the problem. But they said governments needed to take a lead by using legislation and direct intervention to create a better environment. They said many measures – including taxes on unhealthy food, restrictions on junk food advertising, traffic light labelling and school-based education programmes – would save money as well as benefit health.

Will An Obesity Tacking Tax Work?

However, will this make a difference as there are already massive taxes on alcohol and cigarettes yet people continue to choose to smoke and drink even though the health implications are fully understood?

Our health and wellbeing is ultimately our own responsibility and it is not only junk food that plays a role in obesity but our choices in the quantity, types of food and levels of physical activity that contribute.