Childhood obesity affects approximately 12.5 million children in the United States. Of these 12.5 million, approximately 70 % had at least one cardiovascular risk factor (hypertension, high cholesterol, and abnormal glucose tolerance or diabetes), and 30% had two or more. Many blame the fast food industry for the obesity epidemic, and I agree with them. Fast food restaurants aim their advertisements at young people. They target kids and teens because of their susceptibility to be influenced by the allure of cheap, convenient food, and parents aren’t of much opposition. With 10,000 commercials for fatty foods seen by the average child each year, who is to blame them for the formation of their eating habits? With a direct relationship between excessive fast food intake and childhood obesity, why isn’t the government doing more to stop fast food chains from destroying the health of our nations youth?
One proposal to fight the epidemic of childhood obesity is to introduce a “fat tax”. An additional tax would be placed on sugary, fatty foods in hopes of decreasing over consumption by making shoppers aware of the health effects of their choices. This tax would be similar to the tax on cigarettes and alcohol the government already has in place by taxing consumers more for products with direct health hazards. The “fat tax” would also level the playing field by making healthier choices like fruits and vegetables more affordable. This way, consumers, especially those on tight budgets, will be more inclined to choose healthier foods than fast food and junk food.
Some readers may challenge my view that a “fat tax” would be beneficial to society by reducing heath risks caused by obesity by insisting that a “fat tax” would make all food choices more expensive, and thus put a financial strain on our middle and lower classes. Although this may be a valid point, paying a little extra for healthier choices will save consumers a lot of money in the long run, not to mention the healthier, happier lifestyle they will gain. The cost of medical bills for the health damage that obesity inflicts on its victims is far more than the dollar you save buying a McDonald’s hamburger. Another concern with the proposed “fat tax” is that it takes away Americans’ freedom to choose what and where they eat. We as a society accept the tax placed on cigarettes and alcohol because of their apparent health risks, so how would a tax on extremely unhealthy food be any different? Just like the tax on cigarettes and alcohol that is widely accepted, a “fat tax” wouldn’t keep consumers from buying fatty foods- it would just make them more aware of the harmful risks of their choices. This would ideally curb the amount of these fatty foods that people consume. The choice of what and where to eat would still belong to the consumer and therefore not take away their freedoms.
A tax on fatty foods would be beneficial to our society. By raising the prices on these harmful foods, consumers will be more aware of the health risks that they are exposing themselves to. If consumers are forced to pay an extra tax on the foods that cause childhood obesity, they will be more likely to turn to healthy alternatives. This practice would help fight the obesity epidemic that is spreading rapidly through the United States. More expensive foods like whole wheat bread, fruits, and vegetables will be made available to struggling middle and lower class families if the prices of fatty foods and healthy choices are more comparable. This will save many families from cardiovascular health problems associated with childhood obesity as well as preventing them from paying expensive medical bills in the future.
In short, the pros of a “fat tax” are far greater than the cons. The tax would improve the chances of children staying healthy, thus saving families the money that might have been spent on medical bills. Such a tax should be enacted to protect our youth from the growing possibility of becoming obese. So instead of sitting around munching on McDonald’s, waiting for the number of obese children in the United States to turn from 12.5 million to 13 million, we should take action and support the proposal of a “fat tax” in our country.
One proposal to fight the epidemic of childhood obesity is to introduce a “fat tax”. An additional tax would be placed on sugary, fatty foods in hopes of decreasing over consumption by making shoppers aware of the health effects of their choices. This tax would be similar to the tax on cigarettes and alcohol the government already has in place by taxing consumers more for products with direct health hazards. The “fat tax” would also level the playing field by making healthier choices like fruits and vegetables more affordable. This way, consumers, especially those on tight budgets, will be more inclined to choose healthier foods than fast food and junk food.
Some readers may challenge my view that a “fat tax” would be beneficial to society by reducing heath risks caused by obesity by insisting that a “fat tax” would make all food choices more expensive, and thus put a financial strain on our middle and lower classes. Although this may be a valid point, paying a little extra for healthier choices will save consumers a lot of money in the long run, not to mention the healthier, happier lifestyle they will gain. The cost of medical bills for the health damage that obesity inflicts on its victims is far more than the dollar you save buying a McDonald’s hamburger. Another concern with the proposed “fat tax” is that it takes away Americans’ freedom to choose what and where they eat. We as a society accept the tax placed on cigarettes and alcohol because of their apparent health risks, so how would a tax on extremely unhealthy food be any different? Just like the tax on cigarettes and alcohol that is widely accepted, a “fat tax” wouldn’t keep consumers from buying fatty foods- it would just make them more aware of the harmful risks of their choices. This would ideally curb the amount of these fatty foods that people consume. The choice of what and where to eat would still belong to the consumer and therefore not take away their freedoms.
A tax on fatty foods would be beneficial to our society. By raising the prices on these harmful foods, consumers will be more aware of the health risks that they are exposing themselves to. If consumers are forced to pay an extra tax on the foods that cause childhood obesity, they will be more likely to turn to healthy alternatives. This practice would help fight the obesity epidemic that is spreading rapidly through the United States. More expensive foods like whole wheat bread, fruits, and vegetables will be made available to struggling middle and lower class families if the prices of fatty foods and healthy choices are more comparable. This will save many families from cardiovascular health problems associated with childhood obesity as well as preventing them from paying expensive medical bills in the future.
In short, the pros of a “fat tax” are far greater than the cons. The tax would improve the chances of children staying healthy, thus saving families the money that might have been spent on medical bills. Such a tax should be enacted to protect our youth from the growing possibility of becoming obese. So instead of sitting around munching on McDonald’s, waiting for the number of obese children in the United States to turn from 12.5 million to 13 million, we should take action and support the proposal of a “fat tax” in our country.