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Do you think obese/overweight people should pay more for health insurance?
Replies
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janejellyroll wrote: »
My weight is normal. Why should I pay more for my chocolate just because some other people weigh more?
I didn't get overweight because of chocolate and soda. I was overweight because I ate too much of the foods I cooked at home, everyday foods like rice, potatoes, pasta, and vegetables. Someone who wants to eat more than their body can use is going to do it on a wide variety of foods.
Yeah I see your point there, my weight is normal as well but I guess for me, if chocolate was more expensive I would be less inclined to buy some at the shop so it would end up benefiting me in the long run.1 -
PapillonNoire wrote: »
I eat all of those foods regularly and I'm at the lower end of the BMI scale. I have been both overweight and underweight while including foods like that in my diet. It's the quantity that matters, not the foods themselves.
Yes this is true, it’s purely down to the amount eaten, so if the prices are higher in foods that are high in sugar and saturated fat etc then it could potentially force those who eat larger amounts of it to cut back0 -
Yes. Obesity is costing the health care system millions.1
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Mandylou19912014 wrote: »
Ah ok that makes sense, I guess the problem then is purely down to the person who chooses to eat an excessive ̶l̶a̶r̶g̶e̶/̶r̶e̶g̶u̶l̶a̶r̶ amount of u̶n̶h̶e̶a̶l̶t̶h̶y̶ ̶ food.
Edited for truth.4 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »Yeah I see your point there, my weight is normal as well but I guess for me, if chocolate was more expensive I would be less inclined to buy some at the shop so it would end up benefiting me in the long run.
If chocolate was more expensive, i'd be less inclined to buy some, and just have (too) low levels of dietary fat on many days. The dose matters, and a lot of 'bad' foods have their positive attributes as well.1 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »
Food can be unhealthy though, in moderation it’s ok for some people but for example a donut is unhealthy, there is no nutritional value in it what so ever .. but yes I agree that it’s all about how much of certain foods you eat that make it become more unhealthy
Donuts have nutritional value. The donuts I eat contain carbohydrates, fat, and protein, macronutrients my body can use for energy. They're typically made with enriched flour, which is going to provide vitamins and minerals, like iron and some B vitamins.
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Mandylou19912014 wrote: »
Yeah I see your point there, my weight is normal as well but I guess for me, if chocolate was more expensive I would be less inclined to buy some at the shop so it would end up benefiting me in the long run.
Is the argument that we should implement this tax just because it would benefit you personally?0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »
Donuts have nutritional value. The donuts I eat contain carbohydrates, fat, and protein, macronutrients my body can use for energy. They're typically made with enriched flour, which is going to provide vitamins and minerals, like iron and some B vitamins.
Actually, in the Tour de Donut bike race, each donut eaten is worth a 5 minute reduction in your time. I have witnessed competitors who eat enough donuts to end up travelling back in time, having ended their race before it started after the donut adjustments were made.
Donuts have more than just nutritional value
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janejellyroll wrote: »
Is the argument that we should implement this tax just because it would benefit you personally?
Isn't that how most tax policies are passed?
Well not so much that in benefits you, but that the tax itself doesn't impact you?
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janejellyroll wrote: »
Is the argument that we should implement this tax just because it would benefit you personally?
No, this “debate” not argument is about should overweight people should have to pay more and my view is that maybe junk food and sugary products should go up in price so they are less likely to be binged upon2 -
janejellyroll wrote: »
Donuts have nutritional value. The donuts I eat contain carbohydrates, fat, and protein, macronutrients my body can use for energy. They're typically made with enriched flour, which is going to provide vitamins and minerals, like iron and some B vitamins.
Donuts are junk .. they are full of bad carbs and sugar... that’s just a normal fact of life. Maybe people get theirselves obese because they kid themselves into thinking things like that12 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »
No, this “debate” not argument is about should overweight people should have to pay more and my view is that maybe junk food and sugary products should go up in price so they are less likely to be binged upon
Who decides what food is junk and what food is sugary? Please provide criteria or a list? Preferably an exhaustive/complete one. Make sure that it clearly defines what foods are good and which ones are bad.
Ideally it should ensure that apple juice and apple sauce aren't taxed but Dark Chocolate is.
It should also have a means to distinguish between "good" and "bad" fruit snacks.3 -
stanmann571 wrote: »
Who decides what food is junk and what food is sugary?
Our betters...obviously.0 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »
Donuts are junk .. they are full of bad carbs and sugar... that’s just a normal fact of life. Maybe people get theirselves obese because they kid themselves into thinking things like that
What are 'bad' carbs? Ones who stay out late and don't do their homework?!?6 -
What are 'bad' carbs? Ones who stay out late and don't do their homework?!?
They hang out in bad neighborhoods. with FAT people
6 -
stanmann571 wrote: »
Who decides what food is junk and what food is sugary? Please provide criteria or a list? Preferably an exhaustive/complete one. Make sure that it clearly defines what foods are good and which ones are bad.
Ideally it should ensure that apple juice and apple sauce aren't taxed but Dark Chocolate is.
It should also have a means to distinguish between "good" and "bad" fruit snacks.
Its common sense isn’t it, the very fact food contains sugar decides that it’s sugary no?8 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »No, this “debate” not argument is about should overweight people should have to pay more and my view is that maybe junk food and sugary products should go up in price so they are less likely to be binged upon
Only if we charge more for things that reduce calorie output, like computers, cars, and cell phones. Technology is a major contributor to obesity.
Of course taxing technology is as silly as taxing foods perceived as fattening. People will simply pay more for the things they want. There are better ways to modify behavior besides stealing more money from citizens, such as ad campaigns, school programs, and asking food makers to shrink portion sizes (which they'll gladly do).
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What are 'bad' carbs? Ones who stay out late and don't do their homework?!?
The word “bad carbs” is a genuine phrase used, it just means carbs that don’t provide many health benefits like crisps and chips ...9 -
Our betters...obviously.
Or the food itself ....6 -
Isn't that how most tax policies are passed?
Well not so much that in benefits you, but that the tax itself doesn't impact you?
Good point!0 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »
No, this “debate” not argument is about should overweight people should have to pay more and my view is that maybe junk food and sugary products should go up in price so they are less likely to be binged upon
"Argument" is used in the sense of "a reason or set of reasons given with the aim of persuading others that an action or idea is right or wrong," not like a fight. You're making an argument that we should place a tax on certain foods.0 -
Cherimoose wrote: »
Only if we charge more for things that reduce calorie output, like computers, cars, and cell phones. Technology is a major contributor to obesity.
Of course taxing technology is as silly as taxing foods perceived as fattening. People will simply pay more for the things they want. There are better ways to modify behavior besides stealing more money from citizens, such as ad campaigns, school programs, and asking food makers to shrink portion sizes (which they'll gladly do).
Yeah I agree, more should be done in forms of advertisement and school programmes etc ..1 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »
Donuts are junk .. they are full of bad carbs and sugar... that’s just a normal fact of life. Maybe people get theirselves obese because they kid themselves into thinking things like that
I am not sure what a bad carbohydrate is and I've got no problems with sugar.
When I gained my extra weight, donuts had nothing to do with it because I'm vegan and had no access to vegan donuts. Now that I'm in a normal weight range, I sometimes have a donut because there are now vegan ones sold in the city that I live. They're actually pretty awesome after a good 15-mile run.
Look, just saying something is junk isn't enough to demonstrate that it is. They have macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. You said they have no nutritional value and that just isn't true. They have nutrients. So why are they junk?2 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »
Its common sense isn’t it, the very fact food contains sugar decides that it’s sugary no?
Apple juice and apple sauce contain sugar. So they'd be taxed under your plan?1 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »
Or the food itself ....
You're speaking subjectively. This isn't very effective when attempting to persuade others. If you believe so strongly then setup a "swear jar" and donate $1 for every strawberry, donut, etc. Just leave the rest of the world alone.2 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »
The word “bad carbs” is a genuine phrase used, it just means carbs that don’t provide many health benefits like crisps and chips ...
Carbohydrates, in and of themselves, don't provide health benefits other than energy. There is no difference between a bad carbohydrate and a good carbohydrate, although foods with carbohydrates contain different micronutrients.
When you talk about carbohydrates that provide health benefits, what exactly are you talking about?
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Mandylou19912014 wrote: »
Or the food itself ....
Food is inanimate, it's incapable of making that decision. Humans would have to make the decisions.2 -
janejellyroll wrote: »
I am not sure what a bad carbohydrate is and I've got no problems with sugar.
When I gained my extra weight, donuts had nothing to do with it because I'm vegan and had no access to vegan donuts. Now that I'm in a normal weight range, I sometimes have a donut because there are now vegan ones sold in the city that I live. They're actually pretty awesome after a good 15-mile run.
Look, just saying something is junk isn't enough to demonstrate that it is. They have macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. You said they have no nutritional value and that just isn't true. They have nutrients. So why are they junk?
I’m using a donut as an example, of course there will be healthy version of that etc. It in general .. the normal really sugary donuts you get is what I’m referring too. My point is just that if these types of foods which are very bad for you were bumped up in price, but say the healthier version was lowered in price .. it would encourage people not to go for unhealthy options .. every food item has nutrients but there are a lot of clearly unhealthy foods where it’s just pure junk5 -
janejellyroll wrote: »
Apple juice and apple sauce contain sugar. So they'd be taxed under your plan?
Products like that should be made with less sugar and yes I would happily see the really high sugar foods like those go up in price4 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »
Products like that should be made with less sugar and yes I would happily see the really high sugar foods like those go up in price
So you propose taxing high sugar varieties of apple and discounting low sugar varietals?
RUSRS?3
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