Posted on 06/08/2003 2:24:14 PM PDT by SamAdams76
BISCUITS, cakes and processed meals could be loaded with a "fat tax" as part of a shock tactic to combat Australia's spiralling obesity epidemic.
High-fat foods could be subject to the plan, which the Australian Medical Association says may be the way to reduce weight and ultimately save the health system billions.
The AMA will ask the Federal Government to consider the tax as part of an overall strategy to combat obesity. Recent studies have shown 47 per cent of women and 63 per of men are overweight or obese.
Diabetes Australia has also backed discussion of the plan at a federal level amid estimates more than one million Australians are afflicted by diabetes and that by 2010, 70 per cent of the population will be above their healthy weight range.
The British Medical Association has endorsed a similar plan to impose a 17.5 per cent value-added-tax on fatty food, except for takeaway meals which are already taxed. A similar tax has successfully been introduced on unsaturated fat products in Sri Lanka.
AMA vice president Mekesh Haikerwal said the doctors' group would be happy to put the tax idea "on the table" for discussion with the Federal Government.
A tax on fatty food would help to create a healthier society but "shock tactics" were needed to arrest the spread of obesity, he said.
"The discussion needs to be had," Dr Haikerwal said. "There needs to be a giant wake-up call, obesity is a major drain on our resources, on our health systems and workplaces."
Australian health ministers will meet next month to consider a national strategy to battle obesity levels with new evidence showing that within the next decade four-out-of-10 children will be overweight.
Diabetes Australia spokesman Alan Barclay said the plan was "definitely worth considering for the battle against diabetes". But he warned forcing companies to rethink the fat content of their products could result in foods high in sugar and starch.
There is already evidence some companies are changing the ingredients in snack foods. The recipe for Mars bars has been changed amid health fears over a fatty ingredient.
Hydrogenated vegetable fat has been removed from the popular chocolate bar because of its links with high cholesterol levels and heart disease.
"It needs to be targeted," Mr Barclay said. "Not all fats are bad for you."
He said there were about 600,000 registered diabetics in Australia with an estimated one million more undiagnosed or with pre-diabetes symptoms.
Diabetics spent an average of $10,000 a year on their condition, he said, with those with complications spending $20,000.
I'm just ready for the (insert cause) nazis to get theirs, because obesity cuts across all political, gender and socio-economic lines.
I do, however, want food stamp recipients to stop buying trash food for our nation's kids. This is our people's health we're talking about here.
That's how government gets control of people, give them something and then tie strings to it. It works everytime.
Secondly, who decides what is "trash" food? And thirdly, they aren't "our" children or "our" people. People own themselves, they are not owned by society.
The government has no legitimate business whatsoever in these things.
Who decides what is 'trash' air? Is it really necessary to restrict refuse-burning plants from being constructed next to elementary schools?
I appreciate your purism; I also believe that the main reason we've become an overweight, unhealthy people is gov-sponsored/sanctioned bad nutrition.
Here: let's define 'trash' food as 'processed' food for this point of argument.
Government loves to give things away,,,with strings. It is where they derive their power.
In the old times, Kings just said "you will do it my way or I'll kill you". "Civilized" tyrants do it other ways.
Sure, what a little less freedom and a little more government nannyism among friends? As long as it doesn't cost you much personally, why worry about it, right?
I suspect a good bit of this is from the smoking crowd saying "I told you so." I'm a smoker (working up the impulse to quit) and I want 'em to tax the hell out of ice cream, just so my wife can see what it's like.
Out of curiousity, what's your take on tobacco and alcohol taxes?
My take income taxes is much angrier, though.
Well said, and very true, very scary, really. What's worse is that government doesn't even have anything to give away to start with, until it confiscates it from whomever it rightfully belonged to in the first place.
Just goes to show, poor people just have way too much money. How about cutting their wages to bare minimum subsistence level? //end sarcasm//
If we are talking Minion.......... YES.
I think you're wrong, most of the pro-fat tax, seems to be the same old anti smoking crew, they must all be perfect.
Of course this proposistion will be sponsored by none other than Jerold Nadler and Ted Kennedy who just happen to be two fine specimens of good health.
Does this mean junk food icons such as Toucan Sam,Tony the Tiger,and the Kiebler elves,etc., will go the way of Joe Camel?
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