Nutritional Articles
To Tax or Not to Tax
As another tax season comes to a close, and you’re looking for ways to relieve stress, perhaps you’ll reach for some junk food. But what if that snack you grab comes with a price? Not just empty calories, but an added fee? Some health advocates argue that in an effort to curb the obesity epidemic certain foods should cost more because they are nutrient-poor.
First proposed in the early 1980s by Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D., director of The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale, the idea behind the so-called “junk food tax” (also known as a fat tax or Twinkie tax) is to make it less appealing for consumers to buy unhealthful foods. At the same time, the government could use revenue from junk-food taxes to lower the cost of healthful foods and fund nutrition campaigns. A national tax of 1 cent per 12-ounce soft drink or one pound of candy or chips could potentially generate more than a billion dollars annually.
Moreover, proponents argue - like the tobacco tax - a junk food tax would save lives. So what’s the problem? Critics feel the government shouldn’t interfere with what people choose to eat and as such, it is an invasion of privacy. And, how would the government pick which items to tax when diets are made of hundreds or thousands of foods? What about Starbucks’ coffees or fancy cheeses, which are loaded with calories and fat? Also, would a 1-cent tax really dissuade anyone from giving in to a craving? And finally, the fat tax would potentially unfairly burden the poor, who tend to consume more food of low nutritive value than wealthier Americans.
On the other hand, if the government was able to collect upwards of a billion dollars annually from this tax, the monies could be used towards healthful food subsidies making them more affordable and attainable to the poor. Nutrition education programs could be offered to help teach a balanced diet and the consequences of unhealthful choices. These positive factors may potentially outweigh any negative impacts of the tax.
Finally, is it right for the government to determine what is deemed “healthful” and what is not? Is a zero calorie, sugar-free soda bad for you? How about a calorie and sodium laden whole wheat snack cracker? And most importantly, will a few pennies here and there really make an impact on what we put in our grocery bags?
What’s the answer? You decide.
- Modern Menus
Have questions regarding this article? Ask the Nutritionist.
|