It's all too easy to suggest that the easiest way to fight obesity is to impose a "fat tax" — a levy on foodstuffs, processed ingredients high in salts and sugars, and soft drinks high in sweeteners and calories.
The reality is that there is no quick fix for fighting the scourges of diabetes and obesity that thrive all too readily in UAE society.
Obesity and diabetes are largely lifestyle-influenced diseases. What is needed, however, is a change in attitude. Changing lifestyle requires a recognition on behalf of individuals for the need to change — and that can only be promoted through public awareness campaigns and educational programmes.
While taxing fatty foods may seem like an attractive proposition, it does not deal with the core issue — lifestyle. In a region where excess income is plentiful, increased costs are not a deterrent to prevent consumption.
This tax approach has been tried when it comes to tobacco products. Smoking, however, remains a critical issue, regardless of the cost of cigarettes.
In the UAE, there is no tradition of taxation on a large scale, and certainly not when it comes to foodstuff. The implementation of such a tax would be impossible to administer.
