A good way to cut down on obesity?

[Biggin]

And I've said before too, maybe they should cut back on drinking soda. I have several people in my family(grandmother and grandma stick out the most) that are on fixed incomes, they never just buy soda to drink, they do buy it...but tea, water, Koolaid, juices etc too. It's not taking drinks away or soda away, it's putting a very low tax on A drink.

And Maine isn't really a rich state, they're like in the bottom half(34th) of per capita income, have a hard time believing that part of their state isn't like SWVA..which really isn't all that bad compared to other places I've seen and VA is a pretty well-off state actually(you'd be really surprised how well VA is) - not to mention you're an hour or so from KY, TN or NC in SWVA.


I'm still not seeing how this is a bad idea, at all.

but why do you feel the need to tax this??

why not hike up taxes on caviar and squid???

im all for it on beer and liquor and such, but not soft drinks.

i have a very simple solution that could bring the government billions of dollars EVERY YEAR,on a reliable basis:

[R13]

but why do you feel the need to tax this??

why not hike up taxes on caviar and squid???

im all for it on beer and liquor and such, but not soft drinks.

i have a very simple solution that could bring the government billions of dollars EVERY YEAR,on a reliable basis:

Because we're going to have some major budget cuts, this could definitely go along way in stopping something like education like is being proposed here. I choose soda because 1) Every class of people drink it and 2) It's proven to work, also 3) it's not a wallet breaking tax, but still would bring in a significant amount of money do to the number who buy it.


We can do that too, I don't care, but this is something that nearly everyone buys..some more than other, but still. It would effect this household, even I myself drink a lot of soda, definitely more than 2 a day I'm sad to say. It's just something that would help a lot with this budget ordeal, whether it be McDonnells proposal or the Dem. Senate, there's going to be cuts...this would ease some of that.

You know how I feel about legalizing, this is more realistic here in VA though, it's a shame...but still the truth.

[Biggin]

but still, everyone drinks it, but who would this tax hurt the most?

it doesnt hurt the rich people, they can afford the extra $100 a month on taxes soda.
the lower class, who makes 3-400$ a month, and drinks soda, that wont be able to afford to buy it.
so its punishing the lower class.

i dont think we should add that extra tax on soda, because of how it affects the lower classes.

i still havent heard you say why we shouldnt tax items that affect rich people more, instead of making it even harder on those who are struggling mightily as it is.

add a $5,000 tax on cars over 150k, or add $25k tax on houses over a million.

[R13]

but still, everyone drinks it, but who would this tax hurt the most?

it doesnt hurt the rich people, they can afford the extra $100 a month on taxes soda.
the lower class, who makes 3-400$ a month, and drinks soda, that wont be able to afford to buy it.
so its punishing the lower class.

i dont think we should add that extra tax on soda, because of how it affects the lower classes.

i still havent heard you say why we shouldnt tax items that affect rich people more, instead of making it even harder on those who are struggling mightily as it is.

add a $5,000 tax on cars over 150k, or add $25k tax on houses over a million.

Where are you getting $100 a month? It's 7-9 bucks a month, maybe a 100 a year, maybe. I don't think less than 10 a month for a family will cause anyone to not afford it, if buy some chance it does, my answer is buy less soda...though I don't think an extra 25 cents a day, per family, will break anyone. The lower class should be budgeting anyway, if these are the same ones I've seen in line at gas stations buying 2 liters of MD, 4 packs of cigs, 5 lottery tickets and 5 in gas...then I don't have much sympathy for them. People said this about the tobacco tax hike against the lower classes, well you really shouldn't be smoking that much or at all if you're strapped for cash anyway.

And we should, I have no problem with any of that, raise the taxes on those also. Right now though, people aren't buying that many expensive cars or homes, the rich aren't stupid...but still completely fine with that. With the soda thing, people will always buy and everyone will always buy it, no matter what the times...so a really, really small tax increase on it(along with beer and wine) would always bring in money. And since it'd be a state move, it can be stopped anytime without based on how this state is doing, not a fed. thing.

[R13]

CHICAGO - U.S. researchers estimate that an 18 percent tax on pizza and soda can push down U.S. adults' calorie intake enough to lower their average weight by 5 pounds per year.

The researchers, writing in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine on Monday, suggested taxing could be used as a weapon in the fight against obesity, which costs the United States an estimated $147 billion a year in health costs.

"While such policies will not solve the obesity epidemic in its entirety and may face considerable opposition from food manufacturers and sellers, they could prove an important strategy to address overconsumption, help reduce energy intake and potentially aid in weight loss and reduced rates of diabetes among U.S. adults," wrote the team led by Kiyah Duffey of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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With two-thirds of Americans either overweight or obese, policymakers are increasingly looking at taxing as a way to address obesity on a population level.

California and Philadelphia have introduced legislation to tax soft drinks to try to limit consumption.

CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden supports taxes on soft drinks, as does the American Heart Association.

There are early signs that such a policy works.

Duffey's team analyzed the diets and health of 5,115 young adults aged age 18 to 30 from 1985 to 2006.

They compared data on food prices during the same time. Over a 20-year period, a 10 percent increase in cost was linked with a 7 percent decrease in the amount of calories consumed from soda and a 12 percent decrease in calories consumed from pizza.

The team estimates that an 18 percent tax on these foods could cut daily intake by 56 calories per person, resulting in a weight loss of 5 pounds per person per year.

"Our findings suggest that national, state or local policies to alter the price of less healthful foods and beverages may be one possible mechanism for steering U.S. adults toward a more healthful diet," Duffey and colleagues wrote.


In a commentary, Drs. Mitchell Katz and Rajiv Bhatia of the San Francisco Department of Public Health said taxes are an appropriate way to correct a market that favors unhealthy food choices over healthier options.

They argued that the U.S. government should carefully consider food subsidies that contribute to the problem.

"Sadly, we are currently subsidizing the wrong things including the product of corn, which makes the corn syrup in sweetened beverages so inexpensive," they wrote.

Instead, they argued that agricultural subsidies should be used to make healthful foods such as locally grown vegetables, fruits and whole grains less expensive.


Tax soda, pizza to cut obesity, researchers say - Diet and nutrition- msnbc.com

[hoard]

If one of the supposed positives of this tax is cutting down calorie intake/obesity, then shouldn't diet sodas be exempt from the tax?

[imported_elp6n]

Fast food is already taxed at a much higher rate than non-prepared foods, and fast food can't be purchased with food stamps.

That tax and purchase restriction haven't slowed/stopped/changed the consumption of fast food. I dont see an additional tax on sodas and the like to have any difference in obesity either.

[pvfan]

A few thoughts:

If a tax is put into place it's not coming off, the government if anything will increase it not decrease it or remove it. Secondly, people have no problem taxing things that wont bother them, it's human nature. People can argue all types of things, me drinking a soda can cause me to be obese and cause insurance premiums to go up. At the same time, I may work my tail off while you sit on your tail and do nothing. Who contributes/hurts society more? Tax video games if a kid gets a copy of Grand Theft Auto he will shoot us all up, so raise the tax so people can't afford them. Better yet, raise the price of dog food through higher taxation, do people really need dogs? In fact, that is what I support I don't own animals so lets do that. It amazes me how people are blinded by stuff that just do not simply bother them but when the shoe is on the other foot they will have a heart attack, with or without fatty foods.

Seriously, be preparded to pay higher taxes. We are going to have to pay for all of this at some point and that time is coming. I wouldn't be surprised if the tax burden on citizens in this nation didn't double over the 10-20 years.

[simple man]

"CHICAGO - U.S. researchers estimate that an 18 percent tax on pizza and soda can push down U.S. adults' calorie intake enough to lower their average weight by 5 pounds per year."
Hey, if I lived 15 more yearson this, I'd scale out at 105. These figures must right.

[simple man]

A few thoughts:

If a tax is put into place it's not coming off, the government if anything will increase it not decrease it or remove it. Secondly, people have no problem taxing things that wont bother them, it's human nature. People can argue all types of things, me drinking a soda can cause me to be obese and cause insurance premiums to go up. At the same time, I may work my tail off while you sit on your tail and do nothing. Who contributes/hurts society more? Tax video games if a kid gets a copy of Grand Theft Auto he will shoot us all up, so raise the tax so people can't afford them. Better yet, raise the price of dog food through higher taxation, do people really need dogs? In fact, that is what I support I don't own animals so lets do that. It amazes me how people are blinded by stuff that just do not simply bother them but when the shoe is on the other foot they will have a heart attack, with or without fatty foods.

Seriously, be preparded to pay higher taxes. We are going to have to pay for all of this at some point and that time is coming. I wouldn't be surprised if the tax burden on citizens in this nation didn't double over the 10-20 years.

When my dog gets public funds, tax him some more. The dog tag and rabies shots are already tax.