Would A Tax On Sugar Sweetened Beverages Reduce Obesity And Improve Nutrition

Obesity is defined as defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. Obesity is not only based on an individual’s weight but also their BMI. A BMI greater than or equal to 25 is overweight. A BMI greater than or equal to 30 is obesity ((Organization, 2013). Obesity is the most common preventable deaths and the fifths leading health risk globally. Obesity has also been linked to other debilitating diseases and can increase a person’s chances of being hospitalized. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death (cdc.gov, 2014).

According to MedicineNet.com obesity is defined by National Institutes of Health as a BMI (Body Max Index) of thirty and above. A BMI of fifty would be about fifty pounds overweight. BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. A high BMI usually means high body fatness. Obesity is based on both genetic and behavioral factors. Although both these factors can play a huge role in obesity it is time for Americans to own up to the fact that we are making ourselves obese.

There is an epidemic striking the United States. This epidemic, one of obesity, can contribute much of its growth over the last half century to one common link: junk food. Michael Thomas, correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, doubts the effectiveness of imposing a “junk food” tax in an attempt to curb obesity. With support from respected scientists in the nutrition field, like Dr. Oliver Mytton, Mr. Thomas could not be more wrong. While people like Thomas believe there is little hope to solve this problem, in reality a junk food tax is the best approach we can take. If the government intervenes with taxation on unhealthy foods, there will be a less consumer demand for this food group and would mark a significant step in controlling the obesity epidemic.

Wetter and Hodge, Jr. argue how childhood obesity is a vital issue that needs to be addressed as it puts children at risk for long-term health problems. The authors’ solution to lowering the rate of obesity is by taxing sugar-sweetened beverages. They relay information from the World Health Organization and make comparisons between other products that are heavily taxed in order to help support their argument. Wetter and Hodge, Jr. state that the World Health Organization declared that raising taxes on tobacco products was very effective in reducing the demand for tobacco use. They also discuss the legal components regarding sugar-sweetened beverages taxes. One of their ideas includes the sweeter the sugar-sweetened beverage is, the higher it

Lets first discuss what obesity is. According to Miriam Webster, obesity is defined as “a condition that is characterized by excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body and that in an adult is typically indicated by a body mass index of 30 or greater.” This disease is increasing in prevalence, the number of people, children and adults, afflicted by this disease have increased by staggering numbers over the years.

Obesity is a buildup of fat in your body. Obesity is measured and defined by body mass index or BMI. As an adult the BMI should be around 22-25 to be in a healthy range (European Association for the Study of Obesity 2013). If the BMI reading number is over 30 you are considered to be obese. As your BMI increases it can be classified as severe, morbid, or super obesity.

There has been a popular debate around the world on the topic of whether or not sugary drinks should be taxed. In this article in particular, the officials and policymakers realize the public health may be in danger because of the vast intake of unhealthy food and drinks such as high-calorie sugary drinks. The high intake of sugar have lead to tooth decay, diabetes, heart disease and contributes to obesity – which can cause death. They recognize that the sugar levy on sugary drinks will bring benefits to the society and discourage consumption of unhealthy good. In addition, the raise in price of sugary drinks can benefit firms and is a chance for all governments to respond to market failures in food. Countries such as Hungary, France, and Mexico

Did you know that The New England Journal of Medicine revealed that between 1977 and 2002, the intake of sugary beverages doubled in all age groups? Half of adolescent young men drink more than two six-packs of soda pops each week. Kids in the U.S.from ages six to nineteen are three times as liable to be overweight as they were in 1970. Because of these realities, I have come to the conclusion that there should be a tax on sugary drinks.

What is obesity? Obesity, as defined by the National Institutes of Health, is having a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30 or more. BMI is a person's weight in kilograms divided by his or her height in meters squared. Since the BMI describes the body weight relative to height, it is strongly correlated to the total amount of body fat. Obesity affects 1 in every 3 Americans and is the cause of 1 in every 10 deaths in the United States. Obesity rates have doubled worldwide since 1980, and they continue to increase each year in the United States. But, should obesity be considered a disease? Some say yes because obesity meets the definition of a disease; it impairs the body, just like other diseases; and it can be a genetic disorder. Others say no because obesity is not a disease itself but it is a risk factor for other diseases; it results from eating too much; and it results from not exercising enough.

One reason sugary drinks should be taxed is it decreases the high risks of health problems. Critics argue that people are in charge of what they drink. While that may be true, the government tries to keep others from being unhealthy for their own good. There would be less risks of childhood obesity, type 2 diabetes, and much more. Dr. Jeff Ritterman, a cardiologist, said, “ Solid foods produce satiety. You get full. You get full when you eat a piece of cake. You don’t get full when you drink the soda, even

The topic of taxing all sugar-sweetened beverages has brought up many debates among people all over the world, and whether a person should have the right to consume any amount of soft drinks, and sweetened beverages they wish. Some individual think putting a tax on all sugar-sweetened beverages will be an answer to our nation’s health issues; such as obesity, and diabetes. However, by taxing all sugar-sweetened beverages, it will hurt Vermont’s economy. Because consumers will buy elsewhere, it will hurt the job market, and we are not going to cure obesity and diabetes through incorporating a sugar tax on all sugar-sweetened beverages; education is needed to inform individuals of the risks involved with the over consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.

The question whether or not to put a tax on sugary beverages and junk food has made its way to our legislatures desks because of the overwhelming population of obese people throughout the world. The alarming consequences of obesity have given the government reasoning to take charge and try to rectify the problem. They believe that by taxing certain food items that are high in sugar and salt content, trans fat, and saturated fat the percentage of obese persons will decline.

The United State’s report showed that a 20% tax on sugary beverages would reduce obesity levels by 3.5%, according to the Guardian in 2013.

In recent decades, uptake of sugar-sweetened drinks has increased around the globe. For instance, consume in Mexico doubled between 1999 and 2006 across all age groups. (Kelly D. Brownell,et al.,2009) In 2014, Mexico’s government implemented a tax of one peso per litre(10% tax)on sugar-sweetened drinks has resulted in a 12% reduction in sales. (M Arantxa Colchero,et al.,2016) This discovery have significant implications for the way to reduce negative externalities and policy decisions. This report presents the analysis of taxing on sugary drinks and the other possible methods to deal with access consumption.

The explosion of ever increasing fast food chains and poor food eating practices by Consumers, New Zealanders’ increasingly are getting affected by Obesity and diseases such as Diabetes. According to the World Health Organisation, New Zealand has an Obesity rate of 27% (who.int, 2008) and is ranked the 12th most overweight country in the world (nzherald.co.nz, 2013). 225,000 kiwis also have either Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes (diabetes.org.nz, 2012).