Reducing Obesity: Policy Strategies From the Tobacco Wars
Policy approaches that have substantially cut tobacco use could be useful in combating the nation's obesity epidemic, a new report from the Urban Institute argues. Funded by the WellPoint Foundation, the report, Reducing Obesity: Policy Strategies From the Tobacco Wars (73 pages, PDF), found that a 10 percent tax on fattening foods could reduce consumption while raising more than $500 billion over ten years. Other recommendations include moving standardized nutrition labels to the front of food packaging, listing calories on menus at chain restaurants, and limiting or banning mass media advertisements for fattening foods.
