Annotated Bibliography assignment

Running head: SUMMARY

Abdulrhmaan Baroun

October21,2018

“Taxing food: implications for public health nutrition” is a study by Martin Caraher and Gill Cowburn that discusses food taxes for the purpose of controlling lifestyle diseases by regulating healthy feeding in people. In the study, the researchers believe that imposing food taxes on food behavior can help to promote the health of key groups, with children being the most likely to receive public support. The authors cite the increased burden of diseases like diabetes, obesity, and coronary heart disease in the UK and around the world. These ailments have caused the rise of questions concerning the policy approaches that can be used to address the problem of healthy eating. As such, Caraher and Cowburn set out to argue for and against a food tax. They review the evidence that exists on the subject and places it within a policy framework, and finally draw conclusions in support of public health nutrition.

Caraher and Cowburn (2005) examine literature from various sources that tackle the topic of unhealthy feeding and taxes on unhealthy foods. They begin by looking at a report by the World Health Organization /Food and Agriculture Organization. The authors of this report believe that unhealthy feeding emanates from the pricing and cost of healthy foods. To curb this ill, the article avers suggested solutions that include the restriction of advertisements for energy packed and fatty foods to the endorsement of physical activity. The authors also suggest the impression of a ‘fat tax.’ Caraher and Cowburn observe that though this solution was proposed to the government of UK, it was not included in the final report, and therefore argue the value of its significance, which inspires them to examine the possibility of its implementation as well as its implication as a policy.

The study by Caraher and Cowburn (2005) takes a look at historical literature in search of examples of food taxes from developed countries imposed on both national and local levels. They observe that previous imposes of food tax have led to riots and increased food prices in the English society have resulted in what they refer to as ‘mob behavior.’ They also see a similar reaction in the European continent, which is filled with a history of food protests that are triggered by increases in food prices. In their view, the food riots of Italy that happened in 1919 best document this reality. They argue that newer food remonstrations have centered on global disproportion and prejudice of a food structure to native producers.

The problem with the existing impression on society regarding food is in their inclination of attitude towards unhealthy foods, which are more affordable and readily available. There also exists a debate between individuals that support justifications rooted in the behavior of persons and “those who see solutions in more structuralist terms” (Caraher and Cowburn, 2005). Structuralists are more bent towards endorsing food taxes while the group that sees prime responsibility individually is more likely to oppose food taxes. As such, the researchers think that the reasons are an intricate interchange of both food consumption and energy expenditure concerns.

The study design of the article is founded on an application for a paper presentation on “‘Fat taxes: implications for policy makers and consumers’ to the 13th Annual Conference of European Food Law in 2004,” to address the general theme of “The Challenges Ahead: From Obesity to Food Safety” (Caraher and Cowburn, 2005). The researchers therefore analyze food taxes that have been imposed on the developed world from existing databases. The authors conduct internet searches to obtain the required information using the Reference Manager Version 9 software packages. The search terms that they use include taxes on food, fat, food taxes, taxes, and fiscal policy, and concentrate on data published between 1995 and 2003. They rank the information they find into four levels, which is determined by the quality level of the material.

The literature review is systemized for the purpose of achieving a measure of regularity, precision and rigor. This process led to a reduction in the number of pages owing to less reliable material. The findings of the research revolve around the question ‘what are food taxes’ (Caraher and Cowburn, 2005) the literature used is therefore, guided by this topic which helps them to cover a series of definition and functions. Most of the literature argues against the imposition of ‘fat tax’ as they base their argument on the responses from the food industry as well as political conservatives. These individuals center on choice and free will and the risks of becoming the nannies of a state, which lead to their ranking at level four. Literature that supports the activity is classified at level one and the challenge is that few individuals support the topic of imposing food taxes on unhealthy foods.

After Caraher and Cowburn make their research, they conclude that the attention on food tax could be misplaced considering the numerous challenges that include the minimal support that is exhibited regarding the importance of fat tax to curb unhealthy food consumption. They therefore, recommend the need to look at pricing policies containing the double impact of dissuading major behaviors and supporting of what they refer to as a “mix of taxes and subsidies” (Caraher and Cowburn, 2005).

Reference

Caraher, M., & Cowburn, G. (May 10, 2005). Taxing food: implications for public health nutrition. Public Health Nutrition: 8(8), 1242-1249. DOI:10.1079/PHN2005755