Is The Answer A Tax on Fatty Foods?
17 Mar 2002
This week a change of pace. Recently I was questioned by the media about the obesity epidemic. This is what I told them.
Media – It’s been suggested that a tax on fatty foods would help curb the obesity epidemic.
G-J – That’s the wrong approach. No one has the Wisdom of Solomon to carry this out. It would be a taxation nightmare. There’s fat in so many food products. Where would you draw the line?
Media – But today supermarkets do offer a wide variety of packaged foods that are low in fat.
G-J – That’s true. But when tasty fat is eliminated from foods processors often make up the difference with sugar. You may end up with less fat but more calories.
Media – So what do you suggest?
G-J – We should stop talking about fat, protein and carbohydrate. Most people have no idea which have X percent of fat and X percent of carbohydrate. The problem is not just fatty foods. People are gorging themselves on too much of everything.
Media – So what’s the right message?
G-J – That people are consuming too many calories. If you consume more calories than you burn up you gain weight. And since people rarely know the number of calories in any given food it’s usually a losing battle.
Media – Any solution?
G-J – A big red number on packaged foods stating the number of calories would help to drive the message home. But the best way to find out if you’re eating too many calories is to step on the scale every day. The number that stares back at you is the most important number you will ever read. It may determine whether you will develop diabetes, heart disease, die from a surgical complications or other weight problems.
Media – What are the caloric traps into which people fall?
G-J – There are pitfalls everywhere these days. When I was a boy and ordered a hamburger I got a single meat patty. Now you can be served triple patties along with a large order of fries and a huge soft drink. So you walk away with 1,700 calories. Add another 600 calorie fat laden bran muffin and you’ve consumed all the calories you need for a day. And we wonder why people are getting fat!
Media – What about sugar?
G-J – I’ve often called it the “white devil”. There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of sugar. It’s the hidden sugar that tricks people. A 10 ounce soft drink contains 8 teaspoonfuls of sugar. If I poured that amount into a glass of water I believe you would suggest that I see a psychiatrist. But for years we’ve allowed our children to consume these high calorie drinks, sometimes several times a day.
Media – Can exercising more beat obesity?
G-J – We should all exercise more. Walk to work if we can. Use the stairs more. It all helps. But people forget that if you consume 100 more calories in excess of your energy needs you either burn it or store it. And to burn those 100 calories you must walk briskly for at least 20 minutes. How many people do that? You will never beat obesity just by exercising.
Media – You paint a grim picture. There must be a solution?
G-J – The problem is there isn’t a solution at the moment. Fast food chains have tried unsuccessfully to change the menu. Children are not going to suddenly turn off the TV or computer and start exercising. Schools are not going to demand physical education. And people are not going to step on a scale every day.
Media – You advocated taxing the obese in one column.
G-J – I won’t try that again! Some readers wanted to hang me. It was meant in jest. But money is a great motivating factor so it might work. Who doesn’t want to pay less tax. But I was primarily trying to focus public attention on the terrible problems of obesity and diabetes.
Media – Can you think of anything that would stop this epidemic?
G-J – I wish I had an answer. There are too many temptations, not enough informed people and not enough will power. This means more chronic disease and an overburdened healthcare system.
Media – You’ve been accused by critics of having an answer for everything. Surely you must have one for this problem.
G-J – The only solution is a famine. Not a good choice.
