'Chocolate tax' to fight obesity rejected
CALLS for a "chocolate tax" to cut rising levels of obesity in the UK were narrowly rejected by doctors yesterday.
David Walker, a GP in Lanarkshire, led calls for an increase in the price of chocolate to tackle weight-related ill health such as diabetes and heart disease.
But during a debate at the British Medical Association conference in Clydebank, doctors voted down the plan, with the motion lost by just two votes. Last week Dr Walker told The Scotsman that he was concerned that some people ate their recommended daily allowance of calories in chocolate, with their normal meals on top of that.
While doctors at the conference agreed with his concerns, they said that the problem could be addressed through better education of the public and subsidising healthy foods.
Speaking after the vote, Dr Walker said: "I am disappointed that the motion was not supported by the conference, however, I am pleased that it has stimulated debate on obesity."
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