The obesity rate in America today is unreasonably high and something needs to be done about it. In the article Taxing Junk food to counter obesity published by the Us National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health in 2013 and states “Several studies suggest that high taxes may lead to measurable decreases in obesity on a population level, particularly if combined with additional interventions”. This law needs to be legalized for the safety and health of our nation for these reasons: Our obesity rate is at a all time high, This has been implemented in other countries around the world, and it more expensive to be obese. Our obesity rate in America is at a high rate and is only increasing, we as a nation need to make an effort to lower this percentage. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “69.1% of American adults age 20 years and over are either overweight or obese. This percentage has increased steadily over the past three decades, and if the trend continues, the entire adult population will be either overweight or obese within 75 years.” These numbers are extremely alarming and if we don’t do anything about it now then the number will only increase as the years go on. This is where Fat Tax comes in, If this is implemented then the numbers should decrease because less people will buy expensive fatty foods. …show more content…
If countries can implement this and have a lower obesity rate then we should to. We lack in a lot of think as a nation but taking care of our bodies should not be one of those. In the ABC news article “Fat Tax To Lower Obesity” by Lara Salahi and Samantha Meaney, they state that “-A growing number of European countries, including Denmark and France, have already imposed a tax on unhealthy food and drinks.” This shows that if other states have thought about implementing it, then the United States should give it a try, considering that our obesity rate is at an all-time
Policy Analysis Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2017 Obesity in America is quickly becoming a serious health issue with more than one third of United States (U.S.) adults living with obesity. Obesity can lead to many devastating diseases such as heart disease, strokes and diabetes, many of these are leading causes of preventable deaths (CDC CITE). In an effort to combat obesity in the U.S. a legislative bill has been introduced to congress. H.R. 1953, also known as Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2017 was introduced to congress on April 4, 2017 and was sponsored by Rep Erik Paulsen (R- MN). More than seventy-six representatives eventually supported the bill.
Women who are using food stamps are, on average, 5.8 pounds heavier than regular women. The author also educates that in 2008, almost 28 million people received food benefits from the government (Grabmeier). Food Prices and Obesity: Evidence and Policy Implications for Taxes and Subsidies written by Lisa M. Powell and Frank J. Chaloupka also agrees with these articles by notifying that the price of a calorie is cheaper in unhealthy foods. One possible solution that these authors propose is simply to lower the price of healthy foods or raise the price of unhealthy foods. Unlike Peralta and Grabmeier, Powell and Chaloupka also link obesity to tobacco use.
In the article “The Fat Tax,” Jonathan Rauch ironically discusses the new public policy concern with obesity. Although the article is a satire, it’s economic analysis is actually valid. In order to get his point across, Rauch uses sarcasm, appeals to logos, and degrades the issue of obesity to help Americans better understand the “big picture.” Moreover, if the diet of American consumers does not change then maybe advertising more exercise to lose weight will cut down the obesity rate; but to be just as effective, enacting the fat tax will improve health as well.
The rate of obesity has just been increasing due to many
The health issue of obesity encapsulates a topic of controversy for many years now. As rates of obesity increase in children, teens, and adults, the problem of action arises. A specific question poses: should the U.S. government place regulations on Americans in order to combat obesity? The polarizing viewpoints form from the idea that controlling the food and exercise of people’s lives invades their privacy despite making them healthier and helping them to live longer. In my honest opinion, the answer to the aforementioned question is yes.
This statistic is very startling because obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death. This is a very important topic to me because
That amounts to 16.5 percent of the country’s medical care expenses” (Casebook 630). In hope to reduce the rate of obesity in the American population, a proposal to increase the taxes of obese people has been made. Considering that not everyone is overweight or obese because of binging, gorging and physical inactivity, it is a controversial topic.
I believe that the weight hysteria that is affecting our society is very real. It is difficult not to notice the obesity trend increase without having to resort to scientific based evidence that demonstrates that obesity numbers are on the rise. I have worked in pediatrics for at least seventeen years and have seen first hand how this epidemic continues to slowly exhibit the long-term effects that it manifests. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), presents the statistical numbers stating that one third of adults in our country are obese, (CDC, 2016). This information should scare us, this is a problem that affects everyone, and starts to creep up in our very own homes.
It has come to my attention that obesity has become a very large problem in America. It is a sad sight for sore eyes to walk down the street and see the mass population of the United States spilling out of their clothes. These people have done this to themselves and it’s time for the United States to take matters into its own hands and stop giving into those that just cannot stop eating. As I have been turning this over for some time, I have found a way to solve not only obesity, but also much of the hunger in America, all the while creating jobs. The solution is simple, and I guarantee you will not find many that would disagree with this proposal.
Americans today are well-known for their eating habits. With all the options the food industry gives us it makes it hard to go to the grocery store and resist picking up that bag of barbeque-flavored chips or blueberry flavored candy. Due to these processed foods obesity is a growing epidemic in our country and who is to blame for it? In an article entitled “What You Eat is Your Business” by Radley Balko, Balko argues for less government intervention. Balko believes is it our responsibility to take care of ourselves and make it a priority.
The UK has an ever-growing problem of obesity within the nation, especially within youths. The proposed solution to the problem Is a sugar tax however that is blatantly wrong. The only reason the tax has been passed by the government is to bring in more money to the UK, which is being promised to be spent within the health and education sectors. These areas are without a doubt in need of the expected 800 million pounds that the tax will bring in, however, the problem of obesity will still be there no matter how much the government decide to tax sugary drinks. In essence, the sugar tax on drinks in the UK is a feeble attempt to lower obesity rates.
A statistic written by the journal, “Lancet” says that more than one third of Americans are obese and this statistic is only rising and is going to reach about 50 percent by the year of 2020 (Livestrong). If half of the population of America becomes obese the hospitals in the country will not be able to provide enough services for that many people, currently the population of America is 318.9 million people (Google Public Data Explorer). If by 2020 half of the population is obese that would mean that about 159.5 million people would be obese in America. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer; all of these diseases are some of the biggest causes that lead to preventable death in both Canada and America (Livestrong). The demand for personal support workers doctors and nurses to help keep millions of obese Americans alive would be very costly.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that “The Asia-Pacific region is generally considered the epicentre of the diabetes crisis” (Chan, 2016). Encouragement of unhealthy eating and overconsumption has left many wealthy countries with rising obesity rates. To slow the growing rates of obesity, taxation on sugary drinks and processed foods are in main focus in the article “Sugar Soda Tax Not Enough to Halt the March of Obesity in Asia” (Biswas & Hartley, 2017). Taxes on processed foods and sugary drinks is not going to be as successful to the wealthier population. Biswas and Hartley mentioned that Denmark had a “fat tax that covered all products with saturated fats” (Biswas & Hartley, 2017).
Obesity is a major problem in the United States, and with all the special privileges given to its people, America has become very lazy. With portion sizes rising and physical activity decreasing, it is easy to see how the rates on obesity has risen over the years in America. Obesity is a major problem that needs to be resolved because it affects all people of every gender, age, and race are at risk of being obese. Obesity rates in America have nearly doubled rather tripled within the last twenty years due to the many privileges that the American people have before us. Something must be done to overcome decrease the
This issue is something that needs to be addressed and fixed quickly, so that the rise of obesity can stop and our country become healthier once again.