Sin Taxes on Junk Food

Every year Americans spend hundreds of billions of dollars on junk food. Junk food is so

termed because it is high in sugar and fat and is low in other nutrients. American obesity, which

afflicts about one in three people, reflects this phenomenal consumption level. The problem is

only getting worse (“Number of Overweight Children and Adolescents is Rising” 6). The rising

obesity rate leaves politicians and health care officials alike scrambling for a solution to reverse

the trend. Some propose that this be accomplished through taxation of the principle culprit.

However, higher taxes should not be imposed on junk food to encourage healthy eating.

The first question that springs to mind is how to define junk food (“What is Junk Food

Anyway?” 7). If junk food is to receive a special tax, there must be empirical methods to

determine which foods fall under that category. There are certain types of food that few would

argue are healthy, but there are many foods where strict categorization is difficult.

For example, pizza, which can contain up to 1000 calories per slice, is often considered

the king of junk food; but there are ways to make pizza that significantly reduce the fat content.

Lean beef can be used instead of sausage. Traditional cheese can be replaced by its low-fat

counterpart. After such changes have been made, this food can easily be considered healthy,

while simultaneously maintaining its delicious attributes.

Joanne Larsen advises that instead of “banning all but the most simple foods” from one’s

diet, one should consult the nutritional label for each food to determine its value (“What is Junk

Food Anyway?” 7). This is possible for individuals to do, but exhaustive government assessment

of every food ...

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... hierarchy of needs (Huffman 413). Healthy eating habits

can be encouraged and taught by developing educational programs in schools and on TV. Long

live junk food and healthy bodies!

Works Cited

Donato, Karen A. “National Health Education Programs to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical

Activity.” Nutrition Reviews 64.2 (2006): 65. Print

Huffman, Karen. Psychology in Action. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010. Print.

Larsen, Joanne. “What is Junk Food Anyway?” Executive Health’s Good Health Report 33.9

(1997): 7. Print

“Number of Overweight Children and Adolescents is Rising.” Executive Health’s Good Health

Report 32.3 (1995): 6. Print

"PepsiCo Inc., 2010 Annual Report." PepsiCo Annual Reports. PepsiCo Inc., 18 Feb. 2011. Web.

12 Dec 2011.

Trinko, Katrina. "Political Cowards Love the Sin Tax." USAToday.com. USA Today, 20 Sept.

2010. Web. 12 Dec 2011.