Higher taxes should be imposed on soft drinks and junk food Essay

Higher taxes should be imposed on soft drinks and junk food - Essay Example This essay approves that child obesity in the United States has posed a serious problem in children. Obesity rates are elevated among United States children; there have been increased rates of heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. Restaurants and food industry allude to personal choice and lack of exercise. Reports indicate that unhealthy foods and drinks are cheaper, readily available and heavily marketable than healthy foods. Fast foods have changed our eating habits and the entire lifestyles. In early days, families were having their meals together which enable them have quality time with all the family members. The introduction of the fast-food industry has changed everything as people have found a faster and an easy way of eating. Because of this, family dinners are not often and this equal to neglecting of family time (Smith 696). Adolescents have the widest use of the junk foods and soft drinks. The most significant change in American diets for th e past decades is the food taken away from home. This report makes a conclusion that a tax on junk foods and soft drinks is a good government policy. This is because; obesity is caused by increased consumption of calories over what we burn. The excess calories are whether, in the form of protein, fat or carbohydrates are stored as fats in the body. These fats increase chances for heart diseases. For this reason, anti-obesity tax methods are intended to avoid targeting the extensive nutrients group. Rather, they target fast foods, processed food, and soft drinks.