The idea to impose extra taxes on sodas as a means of lowering down obesity in New York City has raged quite a debate. While I am of the opinion that such ideas will not eradicate the obesity epidemic to a complete level, they could still prove as a significant strategy in enlightening over consumption of products that have detrimental health impacts on the residents of New York City. They could as well lower down the energy intake and significantly assist in weight reduction levels and other related ailments such as diabetes which poses a great risk among many American adults.
With more than two-thirds of United States of America being either obese or overweight, American legislators are bagging upon highlighting taxes as a away of curbing obesity and overweight issues particularly to the youths. United States researchers suggested that about 18 percent of taxes imposed on soda and other unhealthy foods can lower down the United States' calorie intake level enough to lower their mean weight by almost five pounds each year (Commerce and Industry Association of New York, 1919).
Their findings suggested imposing of taxes as the best means to curbing obesity which robs the United States an estimated 147 billion US dollars every year on health costs. Their reasons might as well be logical, but a considerable emphasis should be based on the general impacts it will lay on the people.
The New York governor, for instance maintained his position that tax on sugary beverages was appropriate in lowering down the growing cases of obese and make up for some of the billion dollars being spent on health care to curb diabetes and other related ailments. I feel that as much as it has some logic, it will not be appropriate in improving health and will also have a negative impact on the economy.
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These policies will only harm businesses and cost many New Yorkers their jobs as well as hurting majority of the working families.
The policies will definitely be employment enemies that will only ravage retailers and other grocers. This will put the United States of America beverage industry at a high risk. The industry is estimated to employ 160,000 workers in New York alone (Commerce and Industry Association of New York, 1919). This will not augur well especially with the American Beverage Association with famous member companies like Coca-Cola, Pepsi as well as Dr Pepper Snapple Group.
I presume the policies to change the prices of the less health food and beverages as a significant solution to steering the United States adults towards a more healthy diet, but a more balanced approach could be more appropriate. I am of the opinion that the best solution to these problems would rather be coming up with or promoting good markets that favor healthy food choices over the one thought of as an unhealthy. Taxes are not the appropriate method of correcting markets that favors unhealthy food choices over the healthy ones.
The United States government ought to consider carefully other food options that will make a balanced contribution to this problem without having a negative spreading effect on other economic sectors as well as hurting the working families. Instead the United States should encourage the beverage industry to come up with no- calorie or low-calorie products as this will play a crucial role in the overall strategy. Promoting the consumption and manufacture of healthier option products such as natural juices, milk and water can be another alternative as they do not contribute to overweight and could not be taxed as well.
This in combination with other educative programmes in learning institutions along with policies that increase the available alternatives to families yearning for an access to healthy food and beverages will make it workable.