Tax On Sugary Drinks Could Help Middle Class Lose Weight

[The Straight Story]

Tax On Sugary Drinks Could Help Middle Class Lose Weight

Would slapping a fat tax, so to speak, on sugary drinks help Americans lose weight?

It might, if the tax is steep enough. But even then the benefits would be modest and would mainly accrue to the middle class, finds an analysis just published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

If the country added a 40 percent tax to the cost of store-bought sugary drinks, including sodas and sports drinks, it would cut about 12 calories from the daily intake of beverages for the average American. The researchers figure that could help people lose about 1 1/4 pounds.



Without going into all the numbers, it turns out that a 40 percent tax would work better at discouraging consumption than a 20 percent tax. The reduction in caloric intake would also be more dramatic if the tax covers more types of drinks, cutting down on the options for low-tax substitution. No surprises there.

The benefits from such an approach, if it were to become politically palatable, wouldn't benefit everyone equally, however. The analysis found that raising those drink taxes a lot wouldn't significantly cut the weight of the wealthiest or poorest Americans.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/12/13/132032295/sugary-drink-tax-could-help-middle-class-lose-weight

[WingDinger]

1. Lets tax all but organic foods. That will be regressive enough to make us lose weight.

[TheManInTheMac]

6. There's a lot to be said for the health benifits of organic foods...

weight loss is not one of them.

[katnapped]

7. Nah, need to tax ALL food

That'll help even more

[DJ13]

2. We need to stop abusing our tax code for behavioral modifications

Seriously, it always falls on the poor to pay these taxes, and they really cant afford it anymore.

[The Straight Story]

4. I agree - it is like the puritans of old in 2010

I don't like your choices, I will punish you until you stop sinning and live life my way.

People often say they hate being preached to, and then turn around and vote for taxes like this.

[NightWatcher]

3. Just as the cigarette tax ended all smoking last year?

You cannot legislate health by taxation.

[Autumn]

5. So what can we tax to make some of these

fat politicians lose weight? There must be something.

[SocialistLez]

8. Mass transit, usable bike paths, subsidized gym memberships, etc.

would help many people lose weight but of course that's too easy.

Let's just tax everyone.

::eye roll::

Let's also put P.E. back in schools.
On ABC News Tonight they were talking about states that allow kids to take P.E. online. :crazy: