Except it&#x27;s not a joke, it&#x27;s probably true [0] :<p><i>Research by the Institute of Economic Affairs argues that a tax on fatty food could actually increase the burden on the health system and unfairly penalise the poor.</i><p><i>Dr Barrie Craven from the Department for Education at the University of Newcastle, who co-wrote the IEA report, said: &quot;It is commonly assumed that obese people are a disproportionate burden on the NHS.<p>&quot;By 56, the obese are the most expensive but not over their lifetime.<p>&quot;We have to remember that the obese and smokers tend to die earlier and the healthy incur very expensive 24 hour care later in life for diseases such as dementia.&quot;</i><p>[0] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.telegraph.co.uk&#x2F;news&#x2F;health&#x2F;news&#x2F;9359212&#x2F;Obese-and-smokers-less-of-a-burden-on-the-NHS-than-the-healthy-who-live-longer-report.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.telegraph.co.uk&#x2F;news&#x2F;health&#x2F;news&#x2F;9359212&#x2F;Obese-an...</a>