Archive for the ‘obesity’ tag
Fat Chance
According to a study released Monday by experts at the Urban Institute and the University of Virginia, a 10% excise or sales tax on fattening foods could raise $522 billion over the next 10 years. A 20% tax could raise $937 billion. Among its other uses (like paying down the deficit), that money could be used to defray the costs of health care reform or to curb the rise in obesity.
Makes me wonder, though…
Wouldn’t it be better to create a lipids market? Let people who are slightly underweight sell their credits to those who are overweight. It would be a boon to the healthy. It would ease the transition, in the same manner that we see in the proposed carbon markets.
“But wait, you’re being silly! That would encourage people to engage in anorexia, bulemia and other destructive behavior!”
Limiting one’s consumption to an artificially-mandated level also carries risks to our general health and well-being. So if markets are good for carbon, turn them loose on fat. It’s the same set of choices, but with more easily-recognized outcomes.
