I've had trouble deciding on the topic for this blog post. This is a sure sign that someone is taking his blogging too seriously. When I started out, any post with the words "low carb" in it was good enough. Good enough for me, anyway, if not my readers. But in the early days, I didn't have any readers. (The way this post is going, that could come to pass again.) Enough stalling. Let's get down to picking a topic. What has been the big food, diet, weight or nutrition news of the last few … [Read more...]
Study findings undercut soda taxes as a way of curbing obesity
At the risk of being mistaken for a tool of soft-drink industry, or worse yet, a Libertarian, I am jumping once again into the debate over government action to curb our consumption of sugary beverages. (Well, someone's consumption; I don't touch the stuff anymore. I don't believe anyone should.) I stated my position a month ago, in response to calls by New York City officials for a ban on the use of food stamps to purchase soda-pop. Another East Coast official, Mayor Michael Nutter … [Read more...]
Yes, tax bad food — after we all agree on what it is
Because thou art vegan-leaning, shall there be no bacon cheeseburgers? Taxing other people's vices always seems like a win-win. It allows the majority to feel holier-than-thou and adds money to the public coffers. For instance, I've favored the enormous taxes placed on tobacco. As you can probably guess, I'm not a smoker. I have no vested interests that keep me from seeing the logic of the standard public health argument. Smoking is implicated in widespread health problems that cost … [Read more...]