'Fat tax' to fight obesity

News.com.au (Australia) ^ | June 9, 2003 | Rachel Morris

[Shooter 2.5]

Trans fat [Hydragenated oils] is listed at the moment. It's buried in that long list of ingredients.

As far as the rest of your question as to why they're even in the ingredients, I don't know.

I found out about this the hard way. I exercised three times a week on a mountain bike, shot rifle and pistol on the weekends and watched what I ate. I have never smoked or drank.

I did eat a lot of snack foods in front of the TV, just like everyone else but I thought that "low fat" foods were safe.

I had a single blockage in one artery to my heart which was removed the first of last month. While they installed the main artery plug in my groin, I was "given" a hernia.

I go to therapy three times a week now.

[HiTech RedNeck]

If they do it to vegemite, there will be a revolution.

[Petronski]

Why would you want government intrusion at that level? Your quote is the equivalent of saying "as long as they don't tax me, I don't care how high the rate is..." For a moment I thought I was on du.com.

[Sam Cree]

Hi, redhead, nice to see you.

You'll be happy to hear that my brother who has heart problems is quitting the Pritikin diet in favor of some sort of "Mediterranean" plan, which I believe is a big improvement.

His nutrition people finally convinced him that all that "low fat" carb stuff was making his problems worse.

[litany_of_lies]

The sound in the background is that of Rush and a large swath of the rest of talk radio saying "see, I told you so." They called this evolution 7+ years ago.

Here we go again. Just as with tobacco, junk science, deep pockets, and insatiabile government appetities.

Now there's an idea. How about a fat tax tax refund) on government when IT grows too fast?

[FITZ]

9 billion down the rathole to pay for obesity-related illnesses doesn't bug you?

I think the better solution is to let them start paying for their own health care costs ---one way would be to have insurance plans that match the needs of the buyers. If you use little health care, then you should be in a low-user group with low premiums. If you want an extravagant policy then you should pay for it.

I think we need to get away from the idea that health care is something the government can do for you, or that health care is only going to doctors for medicine and surgery. Health care is really a do-it-yourself program, you have to eat and drink right, exercise and all the rest. Getting to be 400 pounds and then thinking there's some magic cure out there for your heart and other problems that you don't have to pay for is just bad thinking.

[Future Useless Eater]

...he warned forcing companies to rethink the fat content of their products could result in foods high in sugar and starch.

..."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.

The diabetics know better than anyone that eating sugar, starch, or any signicant amount of carbs shoots up blood sugar, while eating protien or fat does not.

Atkins, Protien Power, Zone, Sugar Busters, Jenny Craig, and lots more, all rely on LOW CARB. Politicians would be rediculously stupid to foist a tax on fat.

[Sam Cree]

You make some good points. If we didn't have socialized medicine, obesity problems wouldn't belong to the taxpayer.

Additionally, if health insurance was only used for major illness, instead of every single medication or doctor's vist, everyone could afford it.

But when people think they are getting something for nothing, like "free" medical care, you get idiocy like this.

[FITZ]

The other side of the obesity equation is lack of exercise - should extra taxes be imposed on people whom the government says do not exercise enough?

Maybe a televison watching tax.

[rwfromkansas]

Hmmm... I did not know that.

I typically eat the "full fat" stuff anyway.

It seems that probably the best way to lose wait is not to focus on the fat, but instead the calories, am I right? (I probably should try to lose some to get me down to a bit more healthy weight, but man it is hard).

[cajun-jack]

I'm a big fat, lazy bum that eats, drinks, and smokes way too much....but i don't smoke lite cigs, drink lite beer or eat low fat nuthin........if it's gonna kill me, bring on the whole charge right now...dammit..don't drag it out!!!!!!!! lol

[CFC__VRWC]

I agree. Tax the fat people. I mean, the food they buy or the sodas they guzzle are innocent, just as bullets are innocent in themselves.

I think you misunderstand - I am NOT in favor of the government imposing "lifestyle" taxes of any kind. This is exactly the kind of nanny-state crap that has caused ALL taxes to explode and has led to so many of us completely shirking ANY responsibility for how we lead our lives.

On every other point, I agree with you completely.

[CFC__VRWC]

Maybe a televison watching tax.

Shhhhhh - don't give 'em any ideas.

[FITZ]

It seems that probably the best way to lose wait is not to focus on the fat, but instead the calories, am I right?

But you also have to focus on what kind of reactions your insulin is having because that will affect your energy and hunger levels. Sugar and simple carbohydrates get digested quickly, your body puts out extra insulin fast to bring down the blood glucose levels. Then you're blood sugar drops and you feel weak and hungry again so you want more food. You have to work at keeping glucose/insulin levels in a slower balance ----but carbs aren't bad right before a work-out when you're planning on burning glucose ---sometimes you need carbs, but you don't need them for watching television.

[FITZ]

Then how about an elevator tax for people who don't take the stairs?

[txhurl]

No, I mean it. If not actually taxing the obese ones, at least make them pay for their insurance by the body-weight pound.

If they need incentive to get to a normal size and thus reduce medical costs, so be it.

I'm all for any type of radical action until .gov admits that sugars and starches are at the root of obesity, not natural animal and vegetable products.

I am also for food entitlement programs covering essentially ONLY what WIC (women, infants and children) covers: eggs, milk, peanut butter, cheese.... wholesome foods, rather than Froot Loops and Lil' Debbie Star Crunches and Sunny Delight.

[johnb838]

What ever happened to the days when a man ate what he wanted, drank what he wanted, smoked what he wanted and his heart exploded at 50?

[visualops]

ehehehhe

[elbucko]

DOES ANYBODY ACTUALLY THINK THAT MONEY THE GOVERNMENT TAKES IN AS NEW TAXES HERE WILL ACTUALLY GO TO WHERE THEY PROMISE IT'S GOING TO GO?!

Exactly.

There are actually three separate issues here.
1. High Caloric Food.
2. Human Obesity.
3. Taxes.

Of the three, the third issue does not belong. The perpetual tendency for politicians and some citizens to tax objects or activities that they consider harmful or disagreeable is a misuse of the states power to tax.

[HIDEK6]

Somehow I doubt a rationing program would include fat pigs like Jerrold Nadler and Michael Moore...

They would be exempt under the provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act.