Will Introducing a Fat Tax Make a Difference to Our Nation’s Waistlines?

In a nation where a significant number of people are overweight or obese, there is no denying that it is time for change.  People are certainly in need of dietary changes, but how do we achieve this when two in three of us are considered too poor to afford to go to the doctor? 

One radical proposal has been to implement a fat tax, or a tax on foods and beverages that are considered unhealthy.  This is certainly getting a lot of attention right now in the news, but is a fat tax really the answer?

A fat tax certainly has some benefits.  For many people, it may actually dissuade them from buying unhealthy and processed foods that don’t offer any nutritional value.  Many also argue that it might help increase revenue for future medical costs for people who choose to continue eating unhealthy items, despite the personal and financial cost to them. 

Many proposals also include subsidizing the sale of healthier foods with the money generated from the fat tax, which could make healthier eating more affordable in the long run for our nation’s children.

In this case, people would vote with their wallets. For instance, what would you choose at McDonalds if a fatty Big Mac was $8, and the healthier option of a chicken burger  was $1? It’s certainly something to think about.

However, there are down sides to a fat tax, as well.  Many of the people who buy these cheap and unhealthy food items do so because they have very little money to spend on food.  These cheap, fatty items are often all that a family can afford.  Many worry that until healthy foods are reasonably affordable, a fat tax will only serve to make it harder and more expensive for lower income families to eat.

Ultimately, a fat tax can be beneficial in the long run, but not until there are measures in place to provide a healthy and cost effective alternative to eating the foods that will be subject to these fees.