Fat Tax to control obese in India

[DrRajpalSingh]

Should government go in imposing Fat Tax to control obese in India? A few years back Denmark imposed an innovative tax on food containing saturated fats. Israel is debating one such tax and the British Prime Minister David Cameron has also hinted at imposing this tax. This tax is hailed as progressive by the researchers.

The problem of obese is increasing in India very rapidly. So your views are invited to give your comments on the issue.

Now I come to realize that if the name of the thread had been : How to Check the problem of Obese...it would have been better for healthy discussion.

[dndeswal]

In Indian context, this kind of tax is neither practical, nor feasible. Denmark, Israel etc. are tiny states, with a smaller population. Such tiny states have better financial controls and a nice, public-friendly tax regime. In India, on the one hand city dwelling population is getting obese, on the other, a large portion of population is under-nourished and hungry.

Instead of wasting our energies in imposing such funny taxes, we should popularise physical exercise, yoga, sports, hygiene and dignity of labour. Pizza-burger and McDonald culture should be discouraged. Public transport should be popularised so that use of cars and scooters may be minimised. Liquor shops should be curtailed in a phased manner. Also, the under-nourished ones should be given better diet so that our human resource is fully utilised for the development of the nation.

[vicky84]

How about building more parks and stadiums! Currently I think people living in Urban areas don't have required ammenities. Developers are after profits. They don't care about Parks, stadiums or swimming pools.

[DrRajpalSingh]

In Indian context, this kind of tax is neither practical, nor feasible. Denmark, Israel etc. are tiny states, with a smaller population. Such tiny states have better financial controls and a nice, public-friendly tax regime. In India, on the one hand city dwelling population is getting obese, on the other, a large portion of population is under-nourished and hungry.

Instead of wasting our energies in imposing such funny taxes, we should popularise physical exercise, yoga, sports, hygiene and dignity of labour. Pizza-burger and McDonald culture should be discouraged. Public transport should be popularised so that use of cars and scooters may be minimised. Liquor shops should be curtailed in a phased manner. Also, the under-nourished ones should be given better diet so that our human resource is fully utilised for the development of the nation.

Thanks Deswal Sahib for your very stimulating and pragmatic solution steps to control not only over-weight but also to check environmental degradation and consequent hazards to health. You are right to suggest that food habits need change among the richer strata of our society to check the growing problem of obese; and ensuring redistribution of the available quality food stuff among the poor at reasonable rates .

regards

[DrRajpalSingh]

According to the Tribune report, the obesity epidemic wave is sweeping Indian schools with half of the children aged between seven and seventeen years found unfit to compete in sports events. the problem of bulge is more pronounced among children in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. The students were assessed for seven fitness indicators --endurance, anaerobic, capacity and explosive power, flexibility, body strength (upper, lower, abdominal) and body mass index.

The study reveals that the low level fitness may be blamed on lack of basic skills to play sports, unhealthy eating habits and sedentary options available for entertainment through television, Internet and video games.

For full report see please : The Tribune, Chandigarh, 23 November, 2012, p. 18

or log in :www.tribuneindia.com