Tax on soda and pizza?

[crustychief]

What about people like me who enjoy a soda and do not get fat? Thanks.

Tax soda, pizza to cut obesity, researchers say - Yahoo! News

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.

[rsNINESOOPER]

So if your not a fattie than your 28.00 large pizza will cost more money for what reason?

[m21sniper]

I am starting to hate this country.

[Gogar]

Huh. No mention of

high fructose corn syrup

in that research.

I wonder why.

[UconnTim97]

The tax in Philly is going to be about 2 cents an ounce of "sugary beverage". That will never work considering 2 liter bottles, etc.

I would rather the politicos just call it a money maker instead of pretending this is for heath benefits.

[McLovin]

It's all part of the natural progression of Big Govt taking more and more control of our lives.

Better get used to it, because it's never going to change.

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Huh. No mention of

high fructose corn syrup

in that research.

I wonder why.

Don't worry, Big Sugar will eventually be on the hit list.

[Jim Richards]

It's a conspiracy led by Big Salt.

[Rick Lee]

Just get your pizza on Indian reservations. That's how I avoided cigarette taxes when I was still smoking. I'm happy to pay more to the Indians to deny the feds more tax revenue. I also ordered them online from China.

[onlycafe]

as a guy that makes pizza and sells soda, all i can say is;.........

[pwd72s]

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
-Ronald Reagan

more fitting:

Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.
-Ronald Reagan

[Oh Haha]

Our governor was pushing for this type tax a few years ago but it died pretty fast. The vending companies joined together to protest and it seemed to stall it....for the time being.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by UconnTim97

The tax in Philly is going to be about 2 cents an ounce of "sugary beverage". That will never work considering 2 liter bottles, etc.

I would rather the politicos just call it a money maker instead of pretending this is for heath benefits.

Wow! a 2l bottle gets $1.34 in tax? Wow!

Is this applied to fruit juice? Cranberry Juice cocktail?

[pwd72s]

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
-Ronald Reagan

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
-Ronald Reagan

more fitting:

Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.
-Ronald Reagan

Great quotes.

Reagan was really the man in many ways.

[widgeon13]

I've been watching this in NYS and it's highway robbery, BS. I can't believe this is happening. I like regular Coke and to tax people who have moderate levels of consumption is like having the govt put a gun to your head and take your wallet.

The poor fat bastards are just going to buy it w/ food stamps. They're still going to be poor, still going to be fat and still going to drink the sugar drinks.

[UconnTim97]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Wow! a 2l bottle gets $1.34 in tax? Wow!

Is this applied to fruit juice? Cranberry Juice cocktail?

As I understand it, yes it will be.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

I've been watching this in NYS and it's highway robbery, BS. I can't believe this is happening. I like regular Coke and to tax people who have moderate levels of consumption is like having the govt put a gun to your head and take your wallet.

The reasoning behind the tax is absurd.

I can understand the soda, but pizza? Pizza's food. Soda isn't food.
We have no sales tax on food in my state, but we do on almost everything else. I've always thought it was absurd that you could buy soda without tax, but if you needed Tylenol, clothing, or any other necessity of life, you had to pay sales tax.

[Noah930]

Italians should protest, claiming this is racist.

[Noah930]

What about diet soda? Is that taxed, too?