“Fat Tax” brings Fat Benefits Essay

discard food. Do any of us know the meaning of the term? Do the consequences of developing plunk downal diseases not concern us? App arntly, todays society is well aware of what it is, (food with a low nutrition value and is usually processed or ready-prepared (Junk Food)) and what it can do, yet they prefer not to have truth rep preyedly slapped in their face by the media. The way I see it, thats scarcely what these individuals are asking for. They say diets are productive, but its based off of self-encouragement which can only take you so far. According to an article quiet by William Dietz, corpulency is a matter of personal responsibility. Poor dietary decisions cost individuals the expansion of their waist lines. What many do not realize is that as they continue to visit betting food restaurants for break unwavering, lunch, or dinner, they develop an addiction. Sooner or later, they find themselves wrapped around junk foods spicy fingers and havent bothered to notice that they no longer can see their toes standing upright. Higher valuees should be imposed on processed goods because it could dispirit death rates and medical exam bills that tie into obesity, encourage the consumption of healthy products, and educate the Statesns about adapting correct eating habits.Americans today are consuming 20% more(prenominal) small calories than they did in the early 1980s, (Would Imposing par. 3). Also, during that time period, only one third of Americans reality were identified as obese which is equivalent to 13%. However, over the past 25 years, America has exceeded to about 60% of the population being fat (Oliver par. 8). ascribable to the continuous establishments of fast food restaurants, Americans have noticed that their waist lines have expanded substantially. Hundreds of years ago, McDonalds, Jack in the Box, Wendys, and Burger King were non-existant. With McDonalds Big Mac meal containing rough 1,300 calories, its no wonder America has been suff ering an obesity epidemic. Its because of these successfulcompanies that we have to pay for the over flowing stacks of health expenses theyve created for us. comparability Americans then with Americans now, you could literally see the difference without the need of any statistical information from surveys, documents, and whatnot.One of the many reasons why the government is taking this fat appraise into consideration is due to the overwhelming figures of premature deaths and medical bills occuring across the nation. According to studies, officials are hoping that taxation on junk food could avert 2,600 deaths, 9,600 heart attacks, 240,000 impertinent cases of diabetes every year, (Chan par. 2). Thats not the end of it. These numbers are ascending as I we carry on with our normal daily lives. For all I know, 2013s statistics for premature deaths due to obesity could escalate to 3,500 Almost every year, Americas government is burdened by the stunning $117 million in debt they have t o pay because of plenty becoming diagnosed with multiple heart diseases thanks to the consumption of fast food.With that being said, the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) informed the public that too much of todays society relies on the cheap and convenient take outs our restaurants provide us. They encounter at least 400,000 individuals with health problems, charging them almost $ ascorbic acid million a year (Lewis par. 4). For this reason, it is why unhealthy grubs are purchased regularly. If people were to choose between a $2 cheeseburger and a $10 salad wrap, what are the chances of them woof the $10 salad wrap? Thats what I thought. Its disappointing knowing that profits made from fast foods are used to assist our nations debt. Why cant the money derive from potent nourishments?Why do we allow the selling of unsalutary meals, knowing we are feeding them death munchies? In Addition, America has judgement skills that are completely frail and incompetent. Here we are placing ex orbitant prices on healthy products when it should be the life-threatening comestibles that should be prohibited. A flock full of officials in the country have invited several fast food restaurants to scupper calorie-count labels to drive individuals taste buds from convenience food. But even that wont prevent obesity (Mozes par. 7). Nevertheless, even a simple a simple label couldnt stop the hungry beasts of America fromgobbling down chunks of blubber.Due to these astonishing numbers, Americans are looking towards taxing junk food similarly to sin taxes. Its a tax on harmful items (such as alcohol, tobacco, etc.) that could subdue its consumption. Officials have been pushing for states to insitute a fat tax and consider it as a sin tax. According to several smokers in New York, they notice that paying a total of $14.50 for one pack of cigarette wasnt worth their money. Some of them knew that complaining wouldnt get them anywhere, so they eventually ditched the settlement (Sut herland par. 2). With the assistance of this sin tax, smoking rates dropped by 12%, (Would Imposingpar. 3). This specifically proves to opponents that bomming junk food tariffs can depreciate premature death percentages and medical expenses as well.Obviously, pricey items attract less customers nowadays so the higher the taxes, the lower the consumption. Plus, our government could distribute these taxes to health services and programs that illustrate the essence of corpulence. Also, whether the populace continues to ignore the governments warning through tariffs, either way the tariff generated $30 million in new revenue, tax records show. Basically if fast food customers wish to pursue their daily routine visiting McDonalds, itll still bring the economy extra dough to support the country. Even if our main point is to sever societys tongue from higher cholestrol levels, we can only succor those who wish for assistance.Moreover, authorizing taxes on fast foods could subsidize the nu tritional products that in truth bestow our physiques with the appropriate energy it naturally pines for. Knowing that the poorest in the country rely on cheap junk food, (Lewis par. 5), automatically discloses that this necessitates more natural resources. However, in America its vise-versa. The more nutrition an item contains, the more you have to pay. With higher taxes on junk food, there would be no need for the federal to tax our fruits and vegetables. Society will eventually quit their whining and chase cheaper alternatives.Representatives throughout the country have calculated that an 18% taxon junk food would payoff in a 56-calorie decline in total daily intakealong with significant reductions in the risks of most obesity-related chronic diseases, (Fiore par. 12). Doctors have stressed that the recommended calorie consumed should be in the range of 2,000 calories. By the looks of it, Americans today are exceeding these limits. And they wonder why they are experiencing stro kes, heart attacks, and becoming diagnosed with diabetes.Lastly, more health education could influence the populations mindset about the need to eat sugary items. Media has played a huge role in advertising greasy items. Instead, we could use this strategy to discourage our customers from purchasing fast foods, stressing our concerns of obesity. Our targets would be the same audience that was exposed to fattening commercials. Raising awareness inside our communities, and then our country is what the U.S. lacks today. It has been said that You are what you eat, but are any of us aware of exactly what we are putting in our mouths? They may display what supplies make that particular meal, but do they show how much butter they use to cook steaks?Apparently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says hamburgers have been growing from 1 apothecaries ounce in 1957 to 6 ounces in 1997, (Oliver par. 11). If 1997 was sixteen years ago, just imagine how hefty burgers are today? Notifying our cus tomers about junk food should be our leading priority. It would be irresponsible not to try everything we can to save livesPeople are dying everyday due to sugary products, (Bloomberg qtd. in Heaton par. 5). I couldnt agree more with mayor Bloomberg of New York. He is probably the only official that wants to institute a fat tax to give back to the people he represents. Americans are self-centered, and their main focus is money. No one carry offs if theyre putting ones life in jeoparady by creating harmful grubs. If one was to take a stand against these fast food companies, itll have to start with our leaders.On the other hand, controversies have made society enigmatical about the implementation of taxation on packaged foods. As expected, citizens of America claim that the government is becoming too controling, and their freedom of choice is being stripped from them. While our officialsintensions are to perpetuate the corpulence widespread, others feel provoked because they beli eve the government is trying to dictate their intellect (Lewis par. 3). Our leaders stress that taking care of the well-being of our internal organs should be our priority. However, the public refuses admit to the valuable advice they articulate. Many feel as if they were to say, Who are you to tell me what I can eat and not eat? Its only fair that the people have the last say. After all, this country was established fighting For the people, by the people (Star spangled Banner).On top of that, as stated in an article by Jen Kalaidis, tax also costs the country an estimated 1,300 jobs because employees would no longer be take in food retail sectors. Although an collection of occupations would be lost, many tend to give in and develop the mindset of a pessimistic. As Alexander whole wheat flour Bell, (an eminent scientist, engineer, innovator, etc.), proclaimed, When one door closes, another door opens. The message he speaks of is about preserverence and circulating nothing but posi tive thought within your mind.Americans who fear losing their jobs should realize that plantation fields and factories will demand more and more employees once the fat tax is instituted. The fields will require more man power for labor work, and for manufacturing purposes as well. You will soon after notice that grocery markets will have job oppertunites. Its actually a ripple effect, and once the economy is back to the way it was before the nation debt came about, the unemployement will be no more.Therefore, it is essential to communicate the outweighing benefits of a fat tax to the public now, before America begins to hit a downfall in the next five years. Junk food should not be outlawed, nor should it be cheap. If Americans want to continue this portliness evolvement, they can expect to see excessive aftermath in death rates. These unhealthy eats are about to rebuild our countrys values soon enough. However, with the assistance of this Twinkie Tax, I believe we could expect a ta ngible decline in Americas death progression and health expenses, a promotion of organic products, as well as more programs raising awareness of corpulence.Works CitedChan, Amanda L. Raising Junk Food Prices Could Spur People to Consume LessStudy. The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post.com, 12 Dec. 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2013.Dietz, William. Obesity ProCon.org Obesity ProCon.org. Search Engine Optimization, 19 Apr. 2013. Web. 26 Apr. 2013.Elder, Larry. Just How avoirdupois Are We? WSJ World Stream. WND Commentary, 1997-2013. Web. 26 Apr. 2013.Fiore, Kristina. Junk Food Tax Could Improve Health. ABC News. ABC News Network, 10 Mar. 2010. Web. 06 May 2013.Heaton, Richard. NYC Soda Ban upset(a) then Appealed. Digital Journal (2013) n.pag. Print.Junk Food. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com. n.d. Web.05 May 2013.Kalaidis, Jen. Should the U.S. Adopt a Fat Tax? The Week New York 25 Feb. 2013 n.p. Print.Lewis, Catherine. The Junk Food Tax How ofttimes are We Willing to pay to get America Healt hy? Your Health Information Center. Insiders Health, 2011. Web. 5 May 2013.Medical Weight Loss Resources. straighten out 10 Obesity-Related Diseases. American Heart Association, Centers for Disease Control, National Institutes of Health, 23 Apr. 2013. Web. 16 May 2013.Mozes, Alan. The Fat Tax. A Controversial Tool in War Against Obesity. (23 May 2005) 2-3 Print.Oliver, J. Eric. A Big, Fat Problem. Fat Politics The Real Story Behind Americas Obesity Epidemic. Oxford Oxford UP, 2006. 1-4. Print.Sutherland, Amber. Smokers Huff & Puff Over New posterior Tax. New YorkPost. New York. 3 July 2010 1-2. PrintWould Imposing a High Tax on Fast Foods and other Unhealthy Foods Help Combat Obesity Issues in U.S.? Debate.org. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 22 Nov. 2010. Web. 29 Apr. 2013.