It is no doubt that the world has over the last decade an alarming increase in the number of overweight people. Such have been closely attributed to the increase in the rate of intake of high fat and low nutrition foods and beverages. The American nation in particular has declared its highly increasing incidences of obesity among its citizens to be an epidemic. Statistical evidence has revealed that over 250,000 deaths in America annually are due to obesity related complications.
Also found out is the fact that the government is spending over $100 billion every year as health care expenses on obesity victims. It is in fact due to this reason that the government proposes to increase the taxes levied on sugar sweetened beverages and other diet drinks. However, it is to be noted that the measures to be taken by the government in fighting the obesity epidemic should be comprehensive enough to ensure a sustainable solution to the problem.
Therefore, according to the author of this paper, as fats are evidently major cause of obesity, the government should institute a fat tax on fatty foods in stores and restaurants. Though increased taxes have been historically imposed to what are otherwise perceived as sinful commodities in the society such as alcohol and cigarettes, our government should not oversee the failure of its ambitions to provide quality health care to all. Obesity has evidently become one of the leading causes of the ever increasing medical health care costs in the American nation.
The Term Paper on Childhood Obesity: A Threat To Health
Nicholas (Nick) Reeves, who weighs around 117 pounds at the young age of 8 years, is fighting the bulge (excess fat). According to his mother, Angel Reeves, “He’s just hungry all the time. He can finish eating a meal, and then, five minutes later, he’s coming in the kitchen saying, “I’m hungry again. I’m hungry again'”. Angel Reeves states, “Nick is a very active child who ...
With the many struggles that the government of America is making towards realizing pending revenue for its comprehensive health care scheme, it should address from a point of ensuring health care cost cuts. The cost of preventing a disease has never equaled the long time cost of treating the disease. It is therefore based on this argument that the government should work towards realizing a sustainable solution to obesity which is threatening the sustainability of our health care scheme.
This is only possible if we discourage our citizens from excessively using fatty food by increasing the overall costs of such foods. Statistical evidence has shown that increase in the rate of use of fatty foods is mainly due to their relatively cheap prices compared to other nutritious foods. Still noted is that such are commonly available owing to their mass production in America as well as their being easy to prepare. All these reveal that imposing higher taxes on such products will evidently discourage citizens from taking them frequently.
By imposing high taxes on fatty foods restaurants, they will definitely increase their food prices thus discouraging costumers from frequent visits to the restaurants. Still to be claimed is that given the reduced consumer demand for fatty foods both stores and restaurants will find other nutritious foods more profitable. It is only by this that such foods will be reduced both in production and consumption rates. It is to be noted here that scientific research claim that fatty foods should be taken occasionally.
So, such reduction will only reduce the health risks that are marked with excessive intake of fatty foods. In conclusion, it should be the responsibility of our government to ensure sustainable health to all its citizens. Therefore, given the ever increasing rates of obesity and its health care costs in American, the government should institute a fat tax on fatty foods in stores and restaurants. It is only by this that the proposed new health care scheme can be sustainable.
The Essay on Is health care a basic right?
Can it be limited if the cost of providing unlimited treatment is prohibitive? If so, should it be regarded as a commodity and limited by market mechanisms, or should it be rationed by government regulation? If not, how can the nation pay for it? Health Care, like all other services comes at a financial cost. While we should strive to make health care available and affordable to all, the bottom ...
