Would increasing the cost of soda REALLY help reduce obesity and improve health? 

 This is the very question government officials are currently considering.  Here is what some states are proposing: 

• New York: proposed penny-per-ounce (of sugar) tax
• Philadelphia: proposed 2-cent-per-ounce tax
• California: penny-per-tsp tax
• Kansas: penny-per-tsp tax

If passed, these taxes would generate a lot of revenue.  For example, in New York State alone, the tax would raise $1.2 billion annually.  Officials say this money would be used to fight childhood obesity.  While revenue is part of the motive for implementing a soda tax, officials argue that the more important motive is to improve health and fight obesity. 

Opponents of the soda tax believe it is an unfair target against the beverage industry.  Others believe officials are only looking for an easy means of generating revenue during a recession.

But, how can taxes actually make people healthier?  Research has shown that taxing pizza and soda can lower U.S. adults’ caloric intake – an increase in soda prices was linked to an average of 124 fewer calories, and a weight loss of 2.34 pounds.  Taxing certainly worked with tobacco – increasing prices has dramatically decreased smoking rates. 

What do you think?  Could a soda tax really help reduce obesity?

“Hungry” to know more?  Sites Earth Fare visited for this post:
(1) http://tinyurl.com/yf9og7r – “Junk Food Tax Could Improve Health” (ABCNews)
(2) http://tinyurl.com/yfgyoy9 – “Kan. mulling new soda tax, raising other levies” (AP)
(3) http://tinyurl.com/yglcrk2 - “Would A Soda Tax Be A Big Deal?” (NPR)
(4) http://tinyurl.com/yk77oy7 – “Tax soda, pizza to cut obesity, researchers say” (Reuters)
(5) http://tinyurl.com/yc7y2rh – “Bloomberg Says a Soda Tax ‘Makes Sense’” (NYTimes)
(6) http://tinyurl.com/yc99ez4 – “New York governor defends soda tax” (Reuters)