Tax soda, pizza to cut obesity, researchers say

Tax soda, pizza to cut obesity, researchers say

CHICAGO (Reuters) – 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 (2 kg) 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.

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 (2 kg) 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.

When this administration stands up in Novemeber and says they haven't increased taxes laugh in there face. this is the type of silent tax that is being forced on us on a regular basis. everything we do, use, want is being taxed at ever greater rates. When they feel they are pushing the envelope a little to far, they do it under the rouse of trying to help us. What a bunch of lying scumbags.

obama could lose 23 pounds of ugly fat by cutting off his head.

I can understand soda...but Pizza? Pizza can be healthy


anyways... KK, is right and the "earmarking" needs to stop !!!

they always slip crazy pet projects in with "sure thing bills" and within a week,
if we even noticed to begin with, it's all legal and binding history

THE INSPECTOR OF THE BOATMEN SEIZED THE BOATS. THE CATTLE INSPECTOR SEIZED THE LARGE CATTLE, SEIZED THE SMALL CATTLE. THE FISHERIES INSPECTOR SEIZED THE FISHERIES. WHEN A CITIZEN BROUGHT A WOOL-BEARING SHEEP TO THE PALACE FOR SHEARING, HE HAD TO PAY FIVE SHEKELS IF THE WOOL WAS WHITE. IF A MAN DIVORCED HIS WIFE, THE KING GOT FIVE SHEKELS, AND HIS VIZIER GOT ONE SHEKEL. IF A PERFUMER MADE AN OIL PREPARATION, THE KING GOT FIVE SHEKELS, THE VIZIER GOT ONE SHEKEL, AND THE PALACE STEWARD GOT ANOTHER SHEKEL.

~ cuneiform stele inscription, circa 2500 B.C.

LOL.... we're being shekelized to this very day

CCc/thru wrote:

I can understand soda...but Pizza? Pizza can be healthy


anyways... KK, is right and the "earmarking" needs to stop !!!

they always slip crazy pet projects in with "sure thing bills" and within a week,
if we even noticed to begin with, it's all legal and binding history

yu pay more in these taxes than you do in up front ones. and these have no deductions

KK wrote:

CCc/thru wrote:

I can understand soda...but Pizza? Pizza can be healthy


anyways... KK, is right and the "earmarking" needs to stop !!!

they always slip crazy pet projects in with "sure thing bills" and within a week,
if we even noticed to begin with, it's all legal and binding history

yu pay more in these taxes than you do in up front ones. and these have no deductions

If they really want people to trim down, start taxing them by every pound that they are overweight - let's see how fast people would drop the crap and get off the couch.

Giada wrote:

KK wrote:

CCc/thru wrote:

I can understand soda...but Pizza? Pizza can be healthy


anyways... KK, is right and the "earmarking" needs to stop !!!

they always slip crazy pet projects in with "sure thing bills" and within a week,
if we even noticed to begin with, it's all legal and binding history

yu pay more in these taxes than you do in up front ones. and these have no deductions

If they really want people to trim down, start taxing them by every pound that they are overweight - let's see how fast people would drop the crap and get off the couch.

shhhh! don't give them any ideas

What don't they already tax?

Joebert wrote:

What don't they already tax?

themselves

KK wrote:

Joebert wrote:

What don't they already tax?

themselves

Even they are taxed. All the money they make is taxed and all the money they spend they get taxed again. Maybe there should be an extra tax on people making stupid suggestions.

Joebert wrote:

KK wrote:

Joebert wrote:

What don't they already tax?

themselves

Even they are taxed. All the money they make is taxed and all the money they spend they get taxed again. Maybe there should be an extra tax on people making stupid suggestions.

but they don't pay. see all of obama's cabinet members and withdrawn applications

ctually that was funny in a way and got them to pay up.

Joebert wrote:

ctually that was funny in a way and got them to pay up.

shows you what they are made of though