[aruanan]

How about this. Use the proceeds of the tax to subsidize healthier foods.

There is no such thing as healthy or unhealthy food. It's their relative and absolute quantities that make the difference. The reason there are so many fat people is simple: highly nutritious and palatable food is easy to get and very, very cheap. When energy-dense food intake is combined with a sedentary lifestyle and recreational eating, fat butts ensue. If energy intake exceeds energy expenditure, fat deposits grow.

If the government were to ration food and limit each person's intake only to his expenditure, no one would get fat. Well, the capos of illegal food cartels would get fat from illegal food sales. And the government could get fat from asset forfeiture laws as it seizes property used for illegal food storage and preparation. Besides, the idea of using law and government coercion to perfect the human race instead of protecting members of society from the predation of others has never worked. It has only resulted in suffering that is far more costly than Type-II diabetes, angioplasties, and prescription drugs for lowering cholesterol.

[DannyTN]

"If energy intake exceeds energy expenditure, fat deposits grow. "

That's not entirely true. I lost weight fast eating 5000 calories a day following Dr. Atkins theories. If you cut the carbs enough to turn off the insulin, you can eat all you want.