The article is about Kerala state government's tax proposal on junk food, such as pizzas,
burgers, and other junk food which are served by any restaurant. The movement is
projected to put an end and abstain people from the consumption of junk food. The
government of Kerala was not the first to levy fat tax on junk food, Denmark and Hungary
have adapted this system before Kerala. Nonetheless, junk food is a demerit good that is
when produced creates negative externalities of consumption on third parties, this is an
example of market failure since there’s over-allocation of junk food. However, the total
benefit of society (MSB) end up being much less for the individual consuming the product
(MPB), which results in over-consumption
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The government collects the tax to provide free treatments within its
citizens.
Moreover, the indirect tax has its pros and cons. There are numerous advantages and
disadvantages that occurs after imposing the indirect tax. The disadvantages are the
disposable income of the consumer decreases, due the large increase in price. Therefore,
reducing the disposable income of people who consume junk food, which then leads to a
decrease in their living standards. Nevertheless, the indirect tax is a regressive tax,
meaning, rich people pay a less proportion of income as tax, by definition tax is a fixed
amount of tax on consumption. No matter if you’re poor or rich, you will still pay 14.5%
more for every kg of junk food, furthermore, the increase of 14.5% is deemed as a small
amount for rich people, whereas poor people perceive its expensiveness; thus, increasing
the income inequality and most of the expenditure is from middle class and poor class, this
makes it more detrimental. In contrast, the price elasticity of demand for junk food is pretty
low, the government’s revenue tends to be high, since tax per unit multiplied by units.
It could also completely crush the stereotypes of Americans who are “all overweight and obese”. It could also set this country up for a healthier, and more fit generation. But, it also doesn’t have to be done all at once. Not every American can just be thrown into eating right. “Government intervention on our nutrition may not be as controlling as we think. Simply reducing the amount of vending machines on college campuses, or portion sizes in high school cafeterias are small acts that can do a great deal in the long run.” (Knell). This shows that the government could slowly infuse slight changes over period of time to help every American to get into the right pace of eating healthy. But it’s not just eating healthy in general that turns many people away: it’s the insane cost of healthy food. “Over the course of a year, $1.50/day more for eating a healthy diet would increase food costs for one person by about $550 per year.” (Dwyer). The government should make it so that unhealthier foods are more expensive so that more people are not inclined to buy them and are more inclined to by the cheaper and healthier
Throughout the past years and more here recently obesity has become a fast growing problem in the United States and around the world. Since this has become such a problem certain authors are starting to take a stand in how they think the solution should be fixed. The solutions are discussed in the following articles: How Junk Food Can End Obesity by David H. Freedman and What You Eat Is Your Business by Radley Balko. Both articles have clear and distinct arguments, but the argument by Balko entices his readers and has a clear purpose and tone that allowed his article to be more effective.
Bittman, Mark. "Bad Food? Tax It." The New York Times. The New York Times, 23 July 2011. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.
Everyday Americans die from the diseases they carry from obesity. Many Americans over eat because their social problems or because they are hereditary. Many plans have been discussed but finding the solution is the problem. Junk foods and unhealthy beverages have corrupted children’s minds all over the nation and putting a stop on it could lead to other benefits. Unhealthy foods and drinks should be taxed and healthy foods should be advertised more to help prevent American obesity.
Many poor and middle classes can’t afford to take care of their families because of the increase taxation on themselves and their family. They have to suffer because of wealthy people's’ decisions. Also, the wealthy have enough money to pay more taxes than the normal tax payer. It's affecting everyone. The taxation is hurting the poor financially. As a result, their communities are being affected negatively because of the increasing amount of poor people, which is ridiculous and breathtaking.
Canada has a problem with obesity and a solution should be established. Junk food is easily accessible and because of this, low-income families are more likely to buy bigger quantities of it due to lower costs. Obesity can lead to diseases and serious illnesses, some of the most likely illnesses to get from obesity include Type 2 Diabetes, Uterine Cancer, and Gallbladder Disease. While these illnesses and diseases are bad, the population of people that have them can be decreased by decreasing the amount of sugary, carbonated, and high sodium foods humans consume. Junk food should be taxed because it will decrease consumption and reduce obesity rates as well as incidence of diseases, while the revenue generated by these taxes can be used to
A reason why increasing taxes on unhealthy food alone will not lower the obesity rate in the United States is the affordability and availability of junk food. Although the government keeps pushing for more healthy alternatives while taxing “fat” o...
...heir bodies with clean, leafy, natural foods and exercised, obesity could become a thing of the past. With strict government imposed restrictions banning trans fats and limiting salt, it would help enable people, particularly in poorer communities, to lose weight.
The government must have a say in our diets. Because the issues of obesity have already reached national scales, because the costs of obesity and related health issues have gone far beyond reasonable limits, and because fighting nutritional issues is impossible without fighting poverty and other social issues, the government should control the range and the amount of available foods. The cost of healthier foods should decrease. The access to harmful foods should be limited. In this way, the government will be able to initiate a major shift in nutritional behaviors and attitudes in society.
number is just going to grow, if noting is implemented. The elimination of junk foods
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity now ranks as the 10th most important health problem in the world (“Obesity Seen as a Global Problem”). Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Centers for Disease Control and Protection estimates that obesity contributed to the deaths of 112,000 Americans in 2000 (“Obesity in the U.S. Fast”). It is estimated that annual medical care cost of obesity are as high as $147 billion (“Obesity in the U.S. Fast”). Government-provided food stamps are often expended on junk or fast food, because it tends to be less expensive than fresh or cook food. Governments fund producers of meat and dairy products to keep prices low. For now, governments are taking a smarter and more productive approach through regulation, and by working with manufacturers.
As we know, Government’s policies often will result in the change of price on agricultural products accordingly affect people’s dietary under their budget constrains; in order to promote healthy food to the public, government should set up price floor on certain agricultural products, such as corn and soybean. In the book The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan raises the concern of obesity as a health risk to our nation. According to the surgeon general, “obesity today is officially an epidemic; it is arguably the most pressing public health problem we face, costing the health care system an estimated $90 billion a year (102)”. Cheap corn price is the main culprit that leads to this nationwide obesity. Food industries are willing to transform cheap corn into value-added consumer products, such as McDonald’s chicken nuggets and Big Macs, in order to maximize profits. This will make our dietary contains much more calories than before. In addition, the byproduct from corn, such as high-fructose corn syrup, has become the leading source of sweetness in food industries since it can provide same level of sweetness with a low cost. Simultaneously HFCS improves the taste of the foods, thereby increasing our consumption on those high calories foods. All these factors eventually lead us to a Republic of Fat. Government’s policies have put a very negative repercussion on people’s dietary. Because In 1970s, the US government embraced a cheap-food farm policy and dismantled the prevent overproduction policy (103). After that, American farmers were producing far too much corn, which directly causes the price of corn decreased in the next few years. As a result, the price of unhealthy foods and drinks decrease significantly since
Tax rate refers to the percentage of the tax base, which is settled in tax. It is the tax charged by the government on a taxpayer’s income.
It became so clear that junk foods lead to a punch of catastrophic diseases like obesity, type two diabetes, vascular diseases and cardiac disorders. Those kinds of diseases cost more than $150 billion annually, just to diagnose, treat people who suffer from them. That disease is chronic and leads to many health-related issues, for example, obesity considers a risk factor for type two diabetes, and high blood pressure, joint disorders and many others (The Denver Post 2012). The key of preventing many chronic problems is nutrition. Low income plays an important role of limiting most people to buy and eat a healthy diet and in the other hand, it is easy for people budgets to purchase junk foods. So controlling the prices of healthy foods to be suitable for all people make good nutrition available for everyone. Adequate diets mean decreasing the epidemic of those serious diseases, and stopping the spread and break the bad sequences that may happen. Long-term exposure to junk foods that are full with chemicals like additives, preservatives have led to chronic illnesses difficult to treat. Also, the chemical added to junk foods are tasted unique and made millions of people becoming addicted to them and are available everywhere for example in restaurants, cafes, lunchrooms (The Denver Post
In America over 300,000 people are obese and that number continues to grow because the about of junk food that is being consumed. This cost the economy one hundred billion dollars. That more damage done than smoking or drinking. (Crowley, Michael 5) There are other health problems, such as heart diseases, chronic diseases, and type-two diabetes that occur because of junk food. Increasing the price of junk food, by adding tax, researchers hope that this will prod people to reject unhealthy foods. Taxes will also encourage a healthier lifestyle, even in low-income families (Franck, Caroline 2).