The Washington Post reports:
There may be an economic cure for the nation’s obesity: Hike the price of food.
Raising the price of a calorie for home consumption by 10 percent might lower the percentage of body fat in youths about 8 or 9 percent, according to new research from the National Bureau of Economic Research.
“An increase in the price of a calorie regardless of its source would improve obesity outcomes,” according to a working paper that three researchers prepared for the private, nonprofit bureau.
So first end food stamps and free school lunches and breakfasts.
marque2 – Absolutely correct, and while we’re at it as far as rationalizing food production costs, let’s end the ethanol requirements for fuel. Double play for both the children and nature. Less cropland needed means more room for nature. The budget savings would be even more than Obama can waste on renewables subsidies. As far as obesity, who cares what it does?
Much easier solution. Eliminate food stamps.
We save billions of $ and most of the obese people will get skinnier as they will have to think before they buy food.
This actually isn’t a bad idea. To implement the food increase we just need to stop all farm subsidies and government food buyback programs. Even though some of the programs are actually price support program, I think the net would be an increase in food costs. Of course our government would be paying out even less than the price rise, so they could give it all back in tax rebates, but more likely it will be funneled as stimulus to groups that funnel the money back to the democrat party.
Another sign of wealthy, first world elitism totally disconnected from reality.
Just ban all food and declare agriculture illegal. People will be forced to roam the land for scraps of edible stuff like their ancestors did not so long ago. Those who survive will not be obese — at least, not constantly.