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The Issue Of Obesity Among The United Kingdom Government

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Introduction Obesity has become an extremely concerning problem seriously needing to be addressed by the United Kingdom government. Some argue that a tax increase on unhealthy food should be implemented by the government in order to increase health levels across the UK, particularly those of children- for whom the current nationwide obesity problem is the most worrying. However, it is not certain whether implementing this tax will be economically viable. By evaluating the repercussions of introducing this tax on welfare and efficiency, this report will assess whether or not this tax is economically justifiable. Background The issue of obesity has become prevalent in UK politics with unsettling statistics revealing that UK obesity levels have trebled over the past thirty years. With a quarter of British adults now being classed as obese, it is clear that more action must be undertaken by the UK government in order to reduce levels of obesity. The increasing obesity levels are particularly concerning in regards to the younger generation, with statistics showing that more than a third of UK children are overweight or obese. If this worrying trend continues it is likely to lead to a generation of adults more dependent on the National Health Service (NHS) than ever before, with obesity being a factor closely linked with many serious health issues. The market for junk food in the UK is incredibly vast, with the average British family spending a third of their total food budget

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