Taxing the fat in your food

CNN Money ^ | 7/28/2009 | Jeanne Sahadi

[Signalman]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Health care costs keep growing fatter in part because Americans are, too.

More than 25% of the increase in medical costs between 1987 and 2001 is attributable to obesity and obesity-related conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, according to a new report from the non-partisan Urban Institute.

Come 2015, it is estimated that 40% of American adults will be obese, which is more than double the rate 40 years ago.

And today, close to 20% of children are obese, up from 4% four decades ago.

"What does that mean for health care costs years from now?" said Paul Fronstin, director of the health research program at the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

All told, 9% of health spending last year -- or more than $200 billion -- was spent on obesity-related costs, according to Urban Institute. Half of that bill was footed by taxpayers through Medicare and Medicaid.

Taking their cue from steep taxes on tobacco, which have helped reduce smoking rates, the health policy experts who wrote the report argue that a tax on fattening foods could not only raise a lot of revenue to pay for health reform but could also help curb obesity and thereby slow the growth in health care costs over time.

"Aggressive policy remedies like those used with tobacco deserve serious consideration, in view of the terrible and rising toll that obesity is taking on the United States," the authors write.

Depending on how it's set up, the authors estimate that a 10% federal tax of fattening foods could raise up to $530 billion over 10 years. That would be more than half the estimated cost of reform.

[Signalman]

Big Brother will tell you what you can, and cannot eat, in the formerly free nation once know as the United States of America.

[KevinDavis]

First they came after cigarettes but no one cared...

[Parley Baer]

Regarding health care costs lets start with tort reform.

[swarthyguy]

>>Taking their cue from steep taxes on tobacco, which have helped reduce smoking rates, the health policy experts who wrote the report argue that a tax on fattening foods could not only raise a lot of revenue to pay for health reform but could also help curb obesity

EXCELLENT. Bravo, Bravo!

Pork Rinds are gonna be more expensive than caviar.

[JoanneSD]

Has any one except myself noticed how many ads are on the radio and tv about healthy foods, and eating habits..they are usually sponsored some where along ad with a government agency.. I think this is just being subliminal

[magslinger]

I recall a SF short story about a lipid legger. Basically a black marketeer dealing in butter and eggs. From the ‘70’s, IIRC.

[fatnotlazy]

I said a long time ago when the government started overtaxing cigarettes that intrusion into what we eat or drink won't be far behind. Already, there are “do-gooders” putting pressure on restaurants to serve healthy fare and to cut portions. Yes, I should eat healthy and not eat lots of food at one sitting, but it should be my decision and my responsibility.

This is just one more way to impose a nanny state on all of us. Fine for those who are too stupid or too lazy or too irresponsible to take care of themselves, but the rest of us don't need government to tell us what we can and cannot do.

[peeps36]

They should put a tax on the stupidity of politicians. They wouldn’t be so quick to open their mouths if they had to pay for their stupidity. We could save a ton of money and change the habits of the morons in our government.

[fatnotlazy]

I did see on ad on tv that basically said, you cannot ensure good health through taxation or something like that. I don’t know who the sponsor of the ad was, but it was a breath of fresh air after all the other ads.

[swarthyguy]

>>to cut portions.

Profit margins increase for the proprietors.

But I will miss that rack of ribs that easily makes for two meals......

But, won’t be hard to adjust to, methinks, we’ve all gotten used to bars without ashtrays.

And since FAT is almost as bad as tobacco, and the primary source of FAT is animal flesh, well, hehe........

[mountn man]

They should put a tax on the stupidity of politicians. They wouldn’t be so quick to open their mouths if they had to pay for their stupidity. We could save a ton of money and change the habits of the morons in our government.

Can you imagine the taxes Biden would have to pay?

[cherry]

9% is not that much, considering that they probably lumped in all the elderly, and there are some people that are grossly overweight...."bariatric" patients and they probably skew the stats since there care is very expensive....many nursing homes won't even take them on...some nursing homes actually get extra money to take these patients in....

not that I don't think obesity in America is a very serious problem, but like every "crisis"....this one is silly.......

the gummit should be happy that people smoke, drink, do drugs...they'll die quicker and they won't have to pay any more SS benefits....

[cherry]

I think we can all claim that its our ethnic, religious,nationality,race that propels us to eat certain foods....like rich fetticini or sausage....it could be argued that when civilization starting eating pork, the civilization not only prospered, but people lived longer and people were able to devote more time to peaceful activities like research......

I WANT MY PORK!

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

They don’t really want people to be thinner. They just want the added taxes, and to control another aspect of our lives.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

"Pork Rinds are gonna be more expensive than caviar."

Only if you don't know how to kill a hog. I made fried pork rinds 'from scratch' not too long ago. Yummy!

[fatnotlazy]

My grandmother ate all the “wrong” food. Fruit? Vegetables? No way. She loved sausages of any kind, potato pancakes, rich desserts, you name it. She lived to be 90...so who really knows?

[JustaDumbBlonde]

"They don’t really want people to be thinner. They just want the added taxes, and to control another aspect of our lives."

Bottom line truth.

[sportscaster]

Since male homosexuality breeds disease and added healthcare costs for the rest of us i am sure that will also be taxed so as to be discouraged by Democrats.

[Signalman]

For those “in the know” about low-carb, pork rinds are far more healthy than potato chips.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Eight years ago I did a very low-carb diet for several months, and pork skins were one of my 'treats', as was peanut butter. It was a great diet ... I was never hungry and I got to eat really tasty food ... but, I am a bread lover (or addict, truth be known) and no bread or rolls or breading on meat and veggies was extremely difficult.