Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
The first link is an article from The Age called, “Fast-food Chains’ Healthy Options not so Healthy.” This article talks about fast food chains whose “healthy” food just isn’t much healthier and still ridden with fat and loads of salt. With obesity and health problems an issue, public health experts are saying that the research conducted reinforces the idea of the need for a junk- food tax. The second article is from The Herald Sun about the Greens trying to make a policy that would tax booze and junk food with the intent to promote healthy living. The idea is that the tax would “promote healthy living and fight obesity, alcohol-related disease and crime.” The Greens intend to make the levy be “higher for drinks with high alcohol content and foods with high levels of fat, sugar and salt.” I found this idea to be very interesting. Knowing that the recent taxing of candy here in the States has shown uproar with citizens I am interested to see the reaction the locals have in Australia. I am aware that the taxing here in the States was to help fund road repair and schools but was not under the impression that it was to promote healthy living. I wonder if a policy for taxing junk food based on its content, in America would be more effective in the effort for a healthier life, but it seems doubtful. If the policy were to be implemented in Australia I wonder how effective it will be.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/asia/100415/obesity-fat-australia
ReplyDeleteObesity has surpassed smoking as the leading cause of preventable death in Australia. The rate for those with diabetics has tripled in the last 20 years due to weight gain. There is pressure on the Australian government to put a stop to obesity as the financial cost of it is continuing to double as the health of its citizen’s decline. Taxation on junk food is one effort to slow down this obesity epidemic.