http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=578 Tue, 11 Apr 2017 23:15:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=578#comment-623 Bill Shrapnel Sun, 17 Feb 2013 21:56:15 +0000 http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=578#comment-623 Hi Alex. I don’t think there is any chance of a sodium tax being implemented but this has nothing to do with the science. The sodium content of foods is perhaps a more useful measure than saturated fat (only relevant to fat-rich foods) and sugar (not really relevant at all). While dietitians and nutritionists may focussed on health, governments don’t really look at taxes from that the point of view. For them, taxes are about revenue and there wouldn’t be much revenue from a selective sodium tax. Treasury would need be convinced that a tax would save them money in the long term. If the political climate changes in Canberra later in the year I think the idea of food taxes to achieve health will have even less chance of getting up. I just can’t see it happening so we may have to persist with strategies on a less grand scale. Regards, Bill Hi Alex. I don’t think there is any chance of a sodium tax being implemented but this has nothing to do with the science. The sodium content of foods is perhaps a more useful measure than saturated fat (only relevant to fat-rich foods) and sugar (not really relevant at all).
While dietitians and nutritionists may focussed on health, governments don’t really look at taxes from that the point of view. For them, taxes are about revenue and there wouldn’t be much revenue from a selective sodium tax. Treasury would need be convinced that a tax would save them money in the long term. If the political climate changes in Canberra later in the year I think the idea of food taxes to achieve health will have even less chance of getting up. I just can’t see it happening so we may have to persist with strategies on a less grand scale. Regards, Bill

]]> http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=578#comment-621 Alex Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:08:35 +0000 http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=578#comment-621 I do think that a tax on foods can work effectively with proper evidence based research and in cases where human nutritional behaviour is given utmost attention. These failed attempts will inevitably help form a more sound approach to tax on foods in the future. I would love to hear your thoughts on a potential sodium tax in Australia. I do think that a tax on foods can work effectively with proper evidence based research and in cases where human nutritional behaviour is given utmost attention. These failed attempts will inevitably help form a more sound approach to tax on foods in the future. I would love to hear your thoughts on a potential sodium tax in Australia.

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