Obesity and poor nutrition remain widespread in developed countries, and some argue that taxing junk food could reduce these problems. However, I disagree, as people’s eating habits are largely driven by personal preference and social influence, not taxes.
Firstly, those who regularly consume fast food are unlikely to change their habits simply because of added costs. Even if warned about health risks, many would find ways around restrictions, and younger people may resist their parents’ efforts to limit unhealthy cuisine. For example, parents are prone to take control over what their children eat and try to explain the harmful action of damaging meals. However, youth are adapted to adults’s techniques of persuading and may try deceiving strangers or relatives in order to ask them to lend some money for entertainment.
Secondly, people are heavily influenced by stereotypes and advertising, especially online. In addition, ads promote fast cuisine as trendy yet omit the dangers of additives that could appear because of overindulging junk food. Additionally, children are used to exploring via social media such as YouTube or TikTok, and announcements show how it is gripping to consume, whereas they do not tell about the inward structure of a product that contains saturated fat, sugar, and salt, contributing to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. For instance, fry potatoes contain plenty of salt and overused oil, corresponding to weight gain and fatness if humans do not take some exercise to stay in shape.
In summary, obesity and poor nutrition in developed countries cannot be resolved simply by taxing unhealthy cuisine, as personal choices and social influences play a significant role in eating habits.