Health Report : Should the UK have a fat tax?
Obesity isn’t just rising, it’s rocketing – by 73 per cent over the next 20 years, leading experts recently warned in The Lancet. By 2030 they predict 26 million in the UK will be obese. One way of reversing this, they suggest, is taxing unhealthy foods – a ‘fat tax’.
Denmark has led the way. From July 2010 they slapped 25 per cent tax on soft drinks, confectionary and ice cream, and from October this year added 8-15 per cent tax to meats, cheese, butter, vegetable oil and crisps, levied on the weight of saturated fat. While Finland, Hungary and Romania are following suit, even President Obama is considering taxing sugary drinks. The ‘fat tax’ approach has influential supporters here. Tam Fry, spokesperson for The National Obesity Forum, says, “We like the idea, but not simply taxing ‘junk food’, which would hit people relying on it because of limited income. We’d support taxing indulgences – cakes, biscuits, chocolates, sweets, sugary drinks – an in-your-face reminder at the till that such things are bad for you. Any tax raised should be ringfenced for anti-obesity measures such as subsidising fruit and veg.” Predictably, the Food and Drink Federation take a different view of the issue. Spokesperson Terry Jones says, “We believe the solutions lie not in taxes but in clear, informative, on-pack labelling, responsible advertising and marketing, and healthy lifestyle education. Our members have also been working hard to lower salt, fat and sugar in their products and provide choice through ‘low in’ products.” Sceptics say many key food manufacturers aren’t introducing healthier foods voluntarily. Take, for instance, the Government’s Public Health Responsibility Deal, launched last March. One of its aims is for companies to sign three pledges: to provide calories on menus, reduce salt and cut artificial trans
OBESITY RATES
HOW WE COMPARE:
1: United States 30.6%
2: Mexico 24.2%
3: United Kingdom 23%
4: Slovakia 22.4%
5: Greece 21.9%
6: Australia 21.7%
7: New Zealand 20.9%
8: Hungary 18.8%
9: Luxembourg 18.4%
10: Czech Republic 14.8%
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Comments:
"Years ago our grandparents an their grandparents existed on foods with high amounts of fat,yet there was less obesity.The difference being, people were more active."
Gary Bancroft - Monday 6th Feb 2012