DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland, noted for fried breakfasts of epic proportions, is chewing over the possibility of a special tax on fatty foods to tackle rising obesity levels.
Faced with an epidemic of expanding waistlines as the Irish enjoy unprecedented prosperity, Health Minister Micheal Martin confirmed he was "very tentatively" examining slapping a levy on high-fat comestibles.
A proliferation of restaurants and fast-food joints during the country's celebrated "Celtic Tiger" boom of the late 1990s and an increasingly sedentary national lifestyle are among factors blamed for a rise of nearly 70 percent in the number of those overweight or obese over the last decade.
"Some 60 percent of our population is now either overweight or obese and we would welcome any initiative (by the government) to tackle the problem," Michael O'Shea, chief executive of the Irish Heart Foundation, told Reuters.
Figures earlier this year showed 14 percent of Irish men and 12 percent of Irish women were obese. Some 32 percent of Irish children were overweight and 10 percent classified obese.
News the government is eyeing high-fat snacks follows recent moves to crack down on alcohol abuse -- including a ban on pub "happy hours" -- and a national furor over plans to prohibit smoking in bars and restaurants from next January.
heh just think if we instituted this tax in US how much time it would take to get out of budget deficit?
At one time I was 6'2" 187 with 8% BF but I worked out like 6 hours a day... before that and now again I'm the same hight but a whole lot wider ah... heh someday I'll workout again when I have the time.
Naa Riv, not for men. I'm pretty solid right now. But I fluctuate a lot at this BF. If I have too many cheese burgers in a week, I'll gain some weight... Depends on how much I work out too. Like if I don't work out more than 2 times a week, I start losing weight (muscle weight).
Was in the Navy with this guy that had 1% BF. Something was wrong with his nerves or something though because he constantly had to be moving. Even when sitting still, his hands would shake, so I guess he was constantly burning calories because of it. He talked fast, shook, and could not sit still for crap, he even had to shake his foot if forced to sit, just so something could be moving.
Ennia wrote:
heh just think if we instituted this tax in US how much time it would take to get out of budget deficit?
It's funny you should say that. States have been trying to do this for years with the cigarette tax (~$6 in NJ and ~$7.50 in NY). They say the cigarette tax is for rising health care costs and awareness programs, but it is, essentially, used to try and balance budgets.
Guess what happened
People quit smoking or get them from indian reservations and the budgets remain unbalanced.
That's a bullshit argument anyway. In the case of the UK:
Cost to the NHS treating "Smokers diseases": £0.5Bn (estimate)
Revenue raised from taxing smokes: £7.5Bn in 2000
Getting close to £5 per pack in the UK now. Of course our govenment now has a quandary because if they persuade people to quit the lose quite a nice cash-cow. . .
But while we're here I'd like a tax on:
1) Benefit claimants who skipped school (self inflicted stupidity)
2) Children (enough all ready)
3) Cars with engines above 1200cc (plenty for anyone)
4) Fat
5) Some other stuff I don't like so nyur.
ah... heh someday I'll workout again when I have the time.
