Should we tax overweight/obese people?

The J Stands for Jay

14dMoney wrote: »

The same way you pay other taxes. Government pay for a standard checkup from your GP who fills out a fat-report, and sends it off via registered post. Then in 6 months, your tax-bill, if any, will be sent to your address by revenue.

Stones, registered post, Revenue sending bills. Are any of your ideas non-gibberish?

Auguste Comte

McGaggs wrote: »

WTF is a stone?

A state of mind.

odyssey06

14dMoney wrote: »

It would be an excellent way to raise funds for our badly inept health service.

Let's tax stupid ideas. It doesn't look good for you. Morons probably place more demands on the health service too.

Deebles McBeebles

If you drive a car, I'll tax the street,
If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat.
If you get too cold I'll tax the heat,
If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet.

bazz26

The strawman theme is strong in this thread. Now that could be a winner when it comes to taxation. Could also make a fortune from an intellectually challenged tax. Might not suit the OP though, needs to focus on fat people.

Auguste Comte

bazz26 wrote: »

The strawman theme is strong in this thread.

At least he won't be overweight.

branie2

Terrible idea

kunst nugget

Grayson Big Whistle-blower wrote: »

Speaking as a skinny bitch who enjoyed a family pack of crisps, a 2l bottle of Rock Shandy and a take away yesterday I'm fully in favour of this.

Fair chance I'll be treated for some lifestyle related conditions in later life, but I'm not fat so people have a mysterious lack of "concern about my health"

Arrah, you're just showing off... but yeah, there's probably a dose of skinny people out there that don't necessarily have issues with weight and look outwardly healthy but are going around with fur-lined arteries ready to clog at a moment's notice.

The J Stands for Jay

Potential-Monke wrote: »

The stone or stone weight (abbreviation: st.)[1] is an English and imperial unit of weight now equal to 14 pounds (6.35029318 kg)

We'll have less of your imperialism in this thread.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

kunst nugget wrote: »

Arrah, you're just showing off... but yeah, there's probably a dose of skinny people out there that don't necessarily have issues with weight and look outwardly healthy but are going around with fur-lined arteries ready to clog at a moment's notice.

Think it's called skinnyfat!

I cut down on that craic a couple of years ago because I suddenly became aware of my own mortality :pac:, yesterday was a bit of a blip. I did a pretty big overhaul to make my diet healthier, took up exercising etc and lost a grand total of something like 5lbs over a few months, went from slim and unhealthy to slim and healthier.

My experience definitely leads me to think this concern about health angle is bullsh1t though, people just don't like looking at fat people.

dartboardio

Most ridiculous thing ive ever heard a presumably grown up person say

So, where do you cut the line with pregnant women then? How will you know if they are overweight for their normal or pregnant body? Are ya gonna charge them extra? Will they be exempt?

Its easy to think of and spew shxt

Fieldsman

While in holiday recently I noted a sign outside a ice-cream shop which said. Overweight people are much harder to kidnap

Sunny Disposition

Should tax people who are less attractive than me, big ugly fckers ruining the view and taking all the hospital beds. Fat yokes, shouldn't be left with any money.

CalamariFritti

14dMoney wrote: »

It would be an excellent way to raise funds for our badly inept health service. Plus, seeing as how we're getting fatter and unhealthier, seems like a fantastic way to motivate fat/overweight people to lose a few pounds.

So for example if you are more than 2 stone overweight, for each additional stone you pay €100 per year.

The potential health benefits due to reduction in obesity related illnesses, and an overall healthier and happier, and more productive society are well worth looking at!

Why would you want to give a badly inept health service more money? Its not going to make them less inept, just eat up more money.

Beasty

dartboardio wrote: »

Most ridiculous thing ive ever heard a presumably grown up person say

I take it you do not spend much time in AH?

Gimme A Pound

Grayson Big Whistle-blower wrote: »

My experience definitely leads me to think this concern about health angle is bullsh1t though, people just don't like looking at fat people.

I suppose people don't realise that you eat lots of rubbish for a slim person though. Yeah I agree a lot of the time not a sh1t is given about the health of the person - when they're a stranger though. I do think it can be genuine when it's a loved one. A friend of mine is extremely overweight and I do worry about her health and wellbeing. I don't want her dead young. I hate the unhappiness it causes her too. I know she would be happier if she got down to a healthy weight.

And sadly, someone I know did die recently because of her weight. She was 35 and had a heart attack.

I know it's extremely hard to lose weight when you have a food addiction though (and that's what it is - nobody wants to be that big).

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Beasty wrote: »

I take it you do not spend much time in AH?

Indeed. Remember the guy who said you should only ever be entitled to an Irish passport if you could actually speak Irish?

14dMoney

dartboardio wrote: »

Most ridiculous thing ive ever heard a presumably grown up person say

So, where do you cut the line with pregnant women then? How will you know if they are overweight for their normal or pregnant body? Are ya gonna charge them extra? Will they be exempt?

Its easy to think of and spew shxt

Pregnant women will of course be exempt for. 2 yeats

joe40

There is a thread about the rainbow flag replacing the tricolour and another lad getting upset about breast feeding and now this one. Is this officially silly season on boards. Was there a memo?

Plumbthedepths

joe40 wrote:

There is a thread about the rainbow flag replacing the tricolour and another lad getting upset about breast feeding and now this one. Is this officially silly season on boards. Was there a memo?

School holidays. ;-)

turbot

It might make more sense to tax products that lead to poorer health - because BMI is an indicator - but there is such a thing as skinny unhealthy too.

_blaaz

Obesity is almost as bad for yous as smoking.....why there isnt more suger taxes and massive increases in tax on take aways is beyond me

kunst nugget

Grayson Big Whistle-blower wrote: »

Think it's called skinnyfat!

I cut down on that craic a couple of years ago because I suddenly became aware of my own mortality :pac:, yesterday was a bit of a blip. I did a pretty big overhaul to make my diet healthier, took up exercising etc and lost a grand total of something like 5lbs over a few months, went from slim and unhealthy to slim and healthier.

My experience definitely leads me to think this concern about health angle is bullsh1t though, people just don't like looking at fat people.

Since hitting my forties, I've definitely done more to eat healthier, reduce alcohol consumption, get more exercise in. It's mostly to be in better shape and make sure the body isn't totally banjaxed by my mid-sixties but vanity is in there as well. I'm carrying a bit of spare luggage (about a stone overweight) that I'm trying to get rid of but I couldn't think of anything worse than letting myself go and turning into a full on fat bastard.

tayto lover

Tax the skinny people instead. Then they’ll have to eat more thus add to the tax take.

super_furry

We'd be better off taxing new accounts created solely with the intent of trolling.

ChikiChiki

Tax unhealthy food and drink higher. Offset the cost of the future burden on the health system.

odyssey06

ChikiChiki wrote: »

Tax unhealthy food and drink higher. Offset the cost of the future burden on the health system.

It might present a burden on the health system, but I'm not sure there is a general burden on the state revenues.

What about the future costs to the state from people with healthier lifestyles living longer? On state pensions? Housing supports?

If all we're concerned about is money, let people eat or drink themselves to death so they keel over at 65... Let them eat cake!

AulWan

You can gain weight eating healthy food too.

Weight gain (where medical issues don't exist) is caused by eating more calories then you need, and you can eat too many calories by consuming healthy foods too.

Portion control and moderation is the key, not "good" versus "bad" foods.

If the goverment was serious about tackling obesity, why are the healthier options usually more expensive?

Go into any supermarket and you'll find lean mince beef (less then 5% fat) is more expensive then much fattier mince beef (up to 18% fat).

Shouldn't it be the other way around?

wakka12

No. Because then you would also need to tax every other unhealthy habits that people indulge in like sun tanning. Not all overweight people are unhealthy either, and being thin is no sure sign of good health. And then where do you stop , where do you draw the line? Tax people who dont regularly eat their 5 a day of veg the next step?

kunst nugget

md23040 wrote: »

Sooner or later the madness will need to be addressed and a token gesture sugar tax with big food cynically switching to sodium saccharins etc, that are much worse for you is not the answer.

Where did you find research proving that?