Fat Taxes and Health Outcomes: An Investigation of Economic Factors Influencing Obesity in Canada

Abstract

Tax policy has been proposed as a possible instrument for reducing the incidence of obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases. This has become popularly known as the "fat tax" approach. Also, physical access to energy-dense, nutrition-poor food items has been suggested as a causal factor for rising obesity rates. This project investigates both the role that food price interventions and physical access to “fast food” may play in population levels of obesity.Obesity, Health Policy, fat taxes, fast food, food access, built environment, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Public Economics, I18, Q18,