To think fat people should pay higher taxes?

[SuedeEffectPochette]

Ok - I have grabbed your attention! I don't exactly mean this. The other day I was just wondering about the obesity crisis and thinking, - I would be a lot more motivated to lose weight if it knocked a penny off my income tax. I am obese, by the way, so I am not knocking fat people considering that I am one. But would this work? "Normal" weight people pay less income tax? I would definitely lose weight if it meant I paid less tax!! OK - it would take a bit of monitoring but I bet loads of people would lose weight and save money! I would. I am trying to lose weight anyway, but money would be good for motivating....

What about those who don't work?

But if a person won't lose weight to save their own life, surely money won't make any difference? Does money mean more to you than your health?

Well you could suggest it to UKIP I suppose....

Where would it end though.... A penny off if you exercise, a penny off if you don't smoke, a penny off if you don't use the NHS for a year....

Just because people are 'thinner' it doesn't mean that they are healthy.

I think smoking could be added but agree there has to be limit - maybe not alcohol/drugs etc - much harder to monitor anyway.....it's not a question of losing weight to save your life is it? Unless morbidly obese....

Fat people already have higher expenses - it's more difficult to find cheap (or any) decent clothes, etc.

Punishing fat people for being fat has never made a single person thin.

what about people who are ill?
my dm got fat when she had cancer
should people like her pay more tax?

I already pay enough tax. If I was going to be taxed even more I might as well give up work.

Make crap 'food' more expensive and fresh healthy stuff cheaper might help

Fast food chains/burger vans etc such pay much much higher taxes imo

Nope it wouldn't work. Does it work with cigarettes in the UK? Does increasing the price make people smoke less?

I have private healthcare and as I've been off with a longterm illness I have gone over the acceptable BMI for normal rates. So I have to pay slightly more. Although it angered me at first, and I could have gone straight onto a VLCD for a month it isn't the way to be safe and healthy. It would have to be a phenomenal tax break to really make a difference.

I mean if you ate less and spent less on food that should be a motivator shouldn't it? But is it?

I am not saying that fat people should pay higher taxes actually, just that normal weight people could pay less. That would motivate people to lose weight. But I agree if you have other issues then it's not "fair" to do this. But then again, why is it "fair" that someone with no children pays for mine to go to state school? I suppose I am saying that the tax system should be more sophisticated than it is.

We already do...all that fizzy pop and haribos don't come for free, y'know!

There have been various tentative proposals to add tax to junk foods in both this parliament and the last.

No party will follow through, as it is seen as too unpopular.

Socially acceptable to tax alcohol and cigarettes. Not socially acceptable to tax children's sweets... 20% of Y6 students are now obese but at least smoking is on the decline

I agree with turbo increase the price of junk food and decrease the prices of healthy food.

Should I pay more tax because my thyroid doesn't work?

What about those of us who have gained weight because of medication?

For example have you seen this www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2701527/Young-cancer-victim-given-six-months-live-doctors-revealed-clumsiness-fact-brain-tumour-alive-year-on.html ?

I don't think it's just 'sweets' that are the problem. Rather the quickness and convenience of junk food in shops/outlets/restaurants etc.... Too easy to grab without much thought

Great idea. They could even get ATOS to vet people on a regular basis and work out their tax code.

But if a person won't lose weight to save their own life, surely money won't make any difference? Does money mean more to you than your health?

This. There is already a huge incentive to be thin (health, societal approval etc). I don't think this will tip the scales .

I think possibly the best idea is to have sin taxes, but then you will have various battles to deal with (should juices be taxed?).

I don't think it will work.

No its not just sweets (in fact probably very little to do with sweets)... but the point is that there is no political will to tax junk foods.

There isn't even the political will to enforce consistent traffic light nutrition information on food.

suede are you planning to tax underweight people, too?

Socially acceptable to tax alcohol and cigarettes. Not socially acceptable to tax children's sweets... 20% of Y6 students are now obese but at least smoking is on the decline

The problem is that sweets may not be the biggest threat. Have you read the ingredients in non-plain yogourt? it's a sugar fest, and in a product thought healthy.

As long as what is considered "junk" is carefully thought out.

Babies, the elderly, people having certain treatments, people at risk of pressure sores, etc need a high fat diet.

Likewise, an elderly person, who has a poor appetite, shouldn't pay over the odds for a cake etc.

I have low blood pressure, I have to take in a lot of salt, on occassion, I pay a lot for Vegan foods processed foods as it is.

There wouldn't be a fair way to do it.

The tax would have to be put on the companies, not the consumer.

I couldn't believe that figure - 20% of year 6 obese - but it's true. Well, 19% and a further 14% overweight. That means only 2/3 of 11 year olds are "normal". That is shocking. I was the only fat kid at my school 35 years ago. These poor kids are going to have a difficult life. I know my idea is bonkers but what can work here? Do we just gastric band everyone at 18?