The government is considering levying tax on junk food, which will help families lose weight and boost organic, wellness products.
The tax will boost the current consumption trends towards organic foods and health & wellness products. In recent months, even kiranas and small retailers in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities have started expanding their assortment in the organic staples segment.
“With a large percentage of our population under the age of 30 years – many of them young professionals with busy work schedules – a healthier diet is the cornerstone of a wholesome and healthier lifestyle, with natural and organic foods becoming a key component,” CEO & Managing Director of Metro Cash and Carry, India.
Some time back, United Nations official had called for unified global action to help families deal with obesity and its related costs.
“Unhealthy diets are now a greater threat to global health than tobacco,” said Olivier De Schutter, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the right to food. De Schutter said the risks of a high-fat, unhealthy diet are well known, as are risks associated with obesity, but “the international community continues to pay insufficient attention to the worsening epidemic of obesity and unhealthy diets.”
Among his five priorities are taxing unhealthy foods, boosting local food producers, reducing junk-food ads, examining “misguided” farm subsidies and “regulating foods high in saturated fats, salt and sugar.”
Obesity leads to serious health impacts including diabetes, stroke, heart disease, certain cancers and more. Not all obesity is related to eating habits though. Certain medical conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome or hyperthyroidism can also cause obesity, besides food choices, lack of exercise, lifestyle and genetics.
