NUTR2004 Junk Food Tax Assignment Sample

• Subject Code : NUTR2004
• University : torrens university My Assignment Services is not sponsored or endorsed by this college or university.
• Subject Name : Nursing

Food Science Systems and Policy 

A.1 Affirmative Response

There is a deliberation on the topic that there should be the introduction of tax over junk food or not. Tax on junk food should be introduced to bolster a healthy lifestyle along with other advantages supporting it (Sainsbury et al., 2018). Junk food is an unhealthy food item that results in numerous diseases which leads to a huge burden for the country as health care services and loss in production. The charge of disease framework gives an approach to assess the economic load of illness which consolidates the direct utilization of the healthcare system and implied productivity effects of disease and death (Carter et al., 2019).

The introduction of taxes can combat the enhancing issues associated with inappropriate and unhealthy diets. By increasing the tax upon junk foods, the government could boost the considerable addition of money. A simple tax on sugar-sweetened beverages which are also junk food product and bring out energy because of carbohydrates present in it but in turn causes obesity and other chronic illness such as diabetes which are risky for the individual's life. Upon enhancing the tax on such beverages and fatty foods, there could be a boost in compelling revenues and also better health of the public. The moderate cost-effectiveness in concern to change the consumption of preferred nutritional products can be bettered by ten to thirty percent if the tax is targeted against the nutrients, as compared with focusing on chosen food classes (Carter et al., 2019). The levy of taxes on fast foods will lead to a rise in the price of these junk foods and would distract consumers' focus on healthy foods and this will assure the adequate consumption of healthy food. Moreover, the introduction of these taxes will not only affect the consumers but, will also support the government by helping them positively.

A.2. Negative Response

There is an ongoing argument over, whether there should be a junk food tax in Australia or not and various debates involving junk food promotion needing restraints because currently, the consumers have great confidence in announcing about their choices for food. No matter the good goals, introducing taxes for junk food to make people healthy remains a bad policy. There are various reasons but, the basic of them all is that these taxes affect people unconcerned of their circumference or choices to live their life accordingly (Esmail, 2020). An example of this can be, if a person runs thrice a week, plays sports timely, takes a balanced and proper diet, and is in good physical state. If that person wants to have some junk sometimes in a month or more or enjoys eating something else when they want to, that person will not pay more. If they enjoy once in a month (Esmail, 2020).

Also, whenever any tax is imposed on any product which is deliberated to be non-injurious or legal, an argument over freedom transgression arises. It is the right of the person to eat any type of food which they desire to. It is the right of the person to have the food which they desire, unconcerned with the implications associated with the health (Apsec, 2015). Also, not every person suffers from obesity due to junk foods, the person suffering from obesity and the reason for them being obese is not junk food always. There are many conditions due to which people suffer from obesity, like glandular problems or they simply cannot lose their weight like other people can lose their weight easily. It is also said that lack of exercise causes more risks for a person turning obese than the choices of cuisine (Apsec, 2015). Moreover, some food products which are considered as junk food but when these are purchased individually, they are healthy food products and can be eaten for health purpose. Evaluating that how taxation should be applied to foods is almost impossible.

References for Junk Food Tax

Apecsec. (2015). Junk food tax pros and cons. Retrieved from: https://apecsec.org/junk-food-tax-pros-and-cons/

Carter, H, E., Schofield, D, J., Shrestha, R., & Veerman, L. (2019). The productivity gains associated with a junk food tax and their impact on cost-effectiveness. Plos One, 14(7), e0220209. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220209

Esmail, N. (2020). Taxing ‘unhealthy’ foods won’t reduce obesity. Retrieved from: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/article/taxing-unhealthy-foods-wont-reduce-obesity

Sainsbury, E., Hendy, C., Magnusson, R., & Colagiuri, S. (2018). Public support for government regulatory interventions for overweight and obesity in Australia. BMC Public Health, 18(1). DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-5455-0

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