We found this article on MSN.com...
Would you pay more for calorie laden meals and snacks or would you cut it out of your diet? What affects your calorie intake?
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People are generally more likely to pass on high-calorie food when there is a tax on it -- though it might not matter to everyone, a small study suggests.
Would you pay more for calorie laden meals and snacks or would you cut it out of your diet? What affects your calorie intake?
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People are generally more likely to pass on high-calorie food when there is a tax on it -- though it might not matter to everyone, a small study suggests.
In a computer-based experiment with 178 U.S. college students, researchers found that the students generally "bought" fewer lunchtime calories when sugary, high-fat fare came with a tax of 25 percent or more.
The exception was when calorie-conscious eaters were given calorie information on their lunch options; the tax did not seem to sway their decisions.
Junk food taxes and greater openness with calorie information have both been advocated as ways to help consumers limit their calories -- and, the hope is, keep their weight in the healthy range.
In the U.S., proponents of taxes on soda and junk food argue that it would not only discourage people from buying them, but could also help offset the estimated $147 billion cost of treating obesity-related ills.
Supporters also point to research suggesting that cigarette taxes have helped curb tobacco use.
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