News Coke Tax?

[rynnor]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21478314

Of course its not just a tax on coke - if we are taxing high sugar/ saturated fat / high salt then a ton of foods/drinks are affected.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Well outside the whole ridicilous notion of this, this really cracked me up;

"No junk food or vending machines in hospitals, where all food must meet the same nutritional standards as in schools"

So...cardboard wrapped poo?

 

[Scouse]

the whole ridicilous notion of this

What's ridiculous about it?

There's sugar taxes elsewhere in the world. It's gonna happen sooner or later.

It's simply using the market to bring about social changes.

 

[throdgrain]

Christ I saw that thread title and got worried

 

[rynnor]

I think its a fucking awful idea - the real culprit in obesity is the car - studies showed little increase in our dailly calorie consumption in decades but our exercise levels have crashed.

Attacking things like Coke is stupid - they already are taxed with 20% extra VAT as it is with no discernible effect so what exactly do they think another 20% will do?

 

[Raven]

More bullshit taxes that will make zero difference to peoples habits. It just means the government open up yet another tax revenue stream.

 

[rynnor]

More bullshit taxes that will make zero difference to peoples habits. It just means the government open up yet another tax revenue stream.

Even more amusingly it already is taxed at 20% and this did nothing so we already know it will fail

 

[soze]

They have taxed fags to the point that people have quit so now they will tax fast food so they can slowly stop going on about smoking so much and start going on about the Fat Tax

 

[Gwadien]

If they tax Diet Coke, heads will roll.

In other news; someone on my Facebook 'needed' sugar in their system, so they sent their boyfriend to the shops to get her some Diet Coke. He's a hero, true story.

 

[old.Tohtori]

What's ridiculous about it?

It's simply using the market to bring about social changes.

Answered it yourself. You of all people should be against government control

 

[Himse]

Ah well, no use complaining about it really, just don't buy coke! It's awful for you anyway!

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Yeah, let's only ever ingest things that are good for us but taste like shit!

 

[Scouse]

Yeah, let's only ever ingest things that are good for us but taste like shit!

Seems a bit silly. I like stuff that's good for me that tastes awesome, myself

 

[Turamber]

And if people stop drinking the sugary drinks will they be dragged in front of Margaret Hodge as tax avoiders?

 

[DaGaffer]

Seems a bit silly. I like stuff that's good for me that tastes awesome, myself

God Scouse, you can be so smug sometimes. Personally I could list dozens of foods that I love that aren't "good for me".

 

[Himse]

Wasn't saying just eat rabbit food (you'll end up looking like that Gillian McKeith bird or whatever her name is.

 

[Wij]

Isn't it about time these 'doctors' fucked off?

 

[Scouse]

God Scouse, you can be so smug sometimes. Personally I could list dozens of foods that I love that aren't "good for me".

I was just reacting to Waz's toys-pram comment.

Of course we all eat shit sometimes.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

I was just reacting to Waz's toys-pram comment.

Of course we all eat shit sometimes.

Erm, that was entirely my point. Engage brain and you may not miss it next time.

 

[Access Denied]

I'm getting heartily sick of these people proclaiming that this and that is bad for us. EVERYTHING is bad for us if sufficient quantities. The fact is, as Rynoor already said, high sugar/fat food and drink is not the reason behind the growing obesity problem. Lack of exercise is. I eat very little in the way of "Healthy" foods and I drink 2l of Coke a day, yet I'm still the perfect weight for my height and build. The reason? I get plenty of exercise at work so I burn off all the sugar and shit I take in.

Coke and other such things are already subject to VAT so adding another 20% to the price will make no difference whatsoever.

 

[DaGaffer]

I'm getting heartily sick of these people proclaiming that this and that is bad for us. EVERYTHING is bad for us if sufficient quantities. The fact is, as Rynoor already said, high sugar/fat food and drink is not the reason behind the growing obesity problem. Lack of exercise is. I eat very little in the way of "Healthy" foods and I drink 2l of Coke a day, yet I'm still the perfect weight for my height and build. The reason? I get plenty of exercise at work so I burn off all the sugar and shit I take in.

Coke and other such things are already subject to VAT so adding another 20% to the price will make no difference whatsoever.

Its blatantly both factors if we're completely honest about it. Yes, people are living more sedentary lives and not getting enough exercise, but that 2 litres of Coke you're drinking is choc full of crap apart from the calories it contains, not least the refined sugar that plays havoc with your metabolism. I find it ironic that you say (correctly) that everything is bad for us in sufficient quantities, and then say you drink that much Coke a day. Trust me, that's a "sufficient quantity". Apart from anything else it absolutely wrecks your teeth.

 

[Gwadien]

I'd love to see it get taxed, then the money going into educating people more about eating healthily, but it's more like, omfg, you seen how much coke people drink? - lets tax dat shit.

 

[Access Denied]

Its blatantly both factors if we're completely honest about it. Yes, people are living more sedentary lives and not getting enough exercise, but that 2 litres of Coke you're drinking is choc full of crap apart from the calories it contains, not least the refined sugar that plays havoc with your metabolism. I find it ironic that you say (correctly) that everything is bad for us in sufficient quantities, and then say you drink that much Coke a day. Trust me, that's a "sufficient quantity". Apart from anything else it absolutely wrecks your teeth.

I agree with almost everything you said. I'm not saying I'm fit and healthy becase I'm not fit at all, just stating that I'm not a fatty! My teeth are actually in pretty good shape considering. Had a check up a couple of months ago. I drink a shit load of coke and I smoke so my teeth aren't brilliant white but they're healthy enough.

As far as I'm concerned lack of exercise is EVERYTHING to do with current obesity levels. As I stated, I get plenty of exercise so my metabolism is being maintained at the level it's always been despite the crap I put into my system from Coke and junk food. It's a clinically proven fact that regular exercise maintains your metabolism and even speeds it back up. So if you're fat and you start eating a "Healthy diet" you still won't lose the weight unless you're getting plenty yof exercise to go with it.

 

[Tom]

A lot of problems could be solved if parents simply let their children play out. I bet most of us over-30s here played out regularly. We broke bones, we scored huge cuts, we climbed up walls and did all kinds of stupid shit. There were no mobile phones when I was ten. If it wasn't raining, the back door was opened and a boot placed up my arse. I returned only when I was hungry.

Kids aren't allowed to be kids any more, usually by idiot parents worried about non-existent child snatchers and road safety which, considering they're the first to jump in a car to drive their kids to school, is hugely ironic.

 

[Himse]

A lot of problems could be solved if parents simply let their children play out. I bet most of us over-30s here played out regularly. We broke bones, we scored huge cuts, we climbed up walls and did all kinds of stupid shit. There were no mobile phones when I was ten. If it wasn't raining, the back door was opened and a boot placed up my arse. I returned only when I was hungry.

Kids aren't allowed to be kids any more, usually by idiot parents worried about non-existent child snatchers and road safety which, considering they're the first to jump in a car to drive their kids to school, is hugely ironic.

I did the same, and i'm only 22! I was building ramps, crashing my bike etc etc!

The problem is the media really, they make it sound like there is a pedophile on every corner.

 

[Gwadien]

A lot of problems could be solved if parents simply let their children play out. I bet most of us over-30s here played out regularly. We broke bones, we scored huge cuts, we climbed up walls and did all kinds of stupid shit. There were no mobile phones when I was ten. If it wasn't raining, the back door was opened and a boot placed up my arse. I returned only when I was hungry.

Kids aren't allowed to be kids any more, usually by idiot parents worried about non-existent child snatchers and road safety which, considering they're the first to jump in a car to drive their kids to school, is hugely ironic.

Same, I was out every day smashing footballs into thorn-ridden bushes with friends, next years kids, didn't, was weird.

 

[Billargh]

I did the same, and i'm only 22! I was building ramps, crashing my bike etc etc!

The problem is the media really, they make it sound like there is a pedophile on every corner.

Ditto to that, I spent the majority of my childhood outside skateboarding

 

[Gwadien]

Ditto to that, I spent the majority of my childhood outside skateboarding

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8Zhb492oqA

 

[Access Denied]

Honestly so did I. Spent most of my childhood getting into mischief with my mates and pushing my luck by staying out as late as possible. Pretty sure that by the age of 10 I could navigate across a circle 3 miles wide around my house blindfolded.

 

[rynnor]

Why talk about the kids when the most obese people I see are adults - many of them commuters who work in offices all day sat at computers.

Another thing is that its quite easy to get fat on a low sat fat/low sugar/low salt diet such as chips or bread or practically any carbs so why single out fizzy drinks?

I cant help but think that theres an element of class war going on here with patriarchal doctors knowing whats best for the proles...