Obesity has become a major public health problem. We know that
one of its primary causes is the consumption of too many
calories, many of which hide in sodas, chocolate bars, chips,
pizzas and hamburgers. We also know that high consumption of
junk food is linked to its modest price and that when its price
goes up, purchases drop significantly. The conclusion is clear:
these products must be taxed specifically, to reduce their
consumption and encourage their producers to come up with
healthier foods that won’t be taxed! This measure, no doubt,
won’t be very popular, but the situation is sufficiently
alarming to take political risks. In the last five years,
obesity among adults in France has gone from 8% to 11%; and
among children and adolescents, there’s been an increase from 2%
to 4%, with 25% of overweight children in low-income families.
This is a trend that can be seen in most western European
countries – Europeans are gaining weight as in the US, but a few
years behind the US curve. Looking at the current