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Overweight people should pay 'fat tax' to cover healthcare costs, German MP says

The problem with the whole issue of determining obesity is which system do you use? Are you going to have the government(and by government I mean citizens paying more taxes) for hydrostatic weighing to get the true measure of body composition, or use the cheap but terribly inaccurate BMI measurement and use that as the determination of your "tax bracket"? I have a feeling it would go by BMI, and probably BMI alone. And that would be bad for Germans, Polish, or Scandanavian people who are typically larger naturally.

But it would work out great for Asians.
 
This is just one more divide.
Now the government is going to pit fat against skinny people.
 
The funny thing is that it's the healthy people that end up using more health care money than fat people. Link Using that logic then healthy people should be paying more.

It would be interesting to see which group paid more in taxes to support the health system.
 
It would be interesting to see which group paid more in taxes to support the health system.

I would imagine it would be the healthy people since they live an average of 20 years more then an obese person.
 
While I don't favor a straight out tax on so-called fat foods because that penalizes everyone who consumes them, even in moderation, something needs to be done about the problem of obeisity. And while Dane seems to imply that it is an American problem, it isn't exclusively American. Yes, it is a terrible problem in the U.S., but it is also a growing problem in western Europe and developed areas of East Asia. It has already been noted that Japan is getting more draconian, preparing to fine companies who have employees who don't meet their criteria (criteria that many Westerners simply could not meet). However, a simple tax on these products is wrong-headed. Why should I pay such taxes? I do consume an occasional bag of chips and drink a can of soda and sometimes go to McDonald's with the kids, but there is no way anyone would ever accuse me (or my wife or either of my kids) of being overweight much less obese. This is like using a blunt hammer to try to thread a needle. It really is completely nonsensical...
 
While I don't favor a straight out tax on so-called fat foods because that penalizes everyone who consumes them, even in moderation, something needs to be done about the problem of obeisity. And while Dane seems to imply that it is an American problem, it isn't exclusively American. Yes, it is a terrible problem in the U.S., but it is also a growing problem in western Europe and developed areas of East Asia. It has already been noted that Japan is getting more draconian, preparing to fine companies who have employees who don't meet their criteria (criteria that many Westerners simply could not meet). However, a simple tax on these products is wrong-headed. Why should I pay such taxes? I do consume an occasional bag of chips and drink a can of soda and sometimes go to McDonald's with the kids, but there is no way anyone would ever accuse me (or my wife or either of my kids) of being overweight much less obese. This is like using a blunt hammer to try to thread a needle. It really is completely nonsensical...

You raise some good points and from what I have seen in this thread, you're the first to mention the taxation of the junk food rather than the individual. Being part of a universal system, that was my first inclination. Canada has long overtaxed cigarettes, which IMO is a good thing, and does not affect those who choose not to smoke. However, most of us partake in junk food from time-to-time, so a junk food tax would be unfair to those who take care of themselves. Having said that, I would be for it, despite the unfairness. It's all for the greater good, IMO. So if I have to pay an extra quarter for a Coke, so be it.
 
This is the last part of your article you just accidently left out.

He's following the forum rules. Maybe you should take the time to learn them.
 
You raise some good points and from what I have seen in this thread, you're the first to mention the taxation of the junk food rather than the individual. Being part of a universal system, that was my first inclination. Canada has long overtaxed cigarettes, which IMO is a good thing, and does not affect those who choose not to smoke. However, most of us partake in junk food from time-to-time, so a junk food tax would be unfair to those who take care of themselves. Having said that, I would be for it, despite the unfairness. It's all for the greater good, IMO. So if I have to pay an extra quarter for a Coke, so be it.

I agree with you on the cigarettes, but tobacco in moderation has known adverse health effects -- besides, how many moderate smokers do you know?
 
Fat people put a burden on the health care industry. Germans are smart, that's why most of them support the law, and why their government is willing to put it in to practice. Americans are fat and usually stupid.

We need to cut down on the danish pastries. We should only tax people who eat those as a test before we get all stupid and tax overweight people. Can you imagine the wrath from a large group of large people that have had some of their food taken away? Hell hath no comparable fury.
 
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