Dr. Robert Rutledge argues that professionals need to more actively support efforts to fight obesity. He proposes taxing soda and subsidizing vegetables to influence consumption habits. Obesity results from engineered food containing excessive salt, sugar, and fat, not personal failings. Taxes on soda and subsidies for produce could lower obesity rates, as studies show price affects consumption. Doctors must advocate bold policies like soda taxes to curb obesity's global epidemic.

1. a-00111
Dr. Robert RUTLEDGE
Title of Paper: TAX SODA/SUBSIDIZE VEGETABLES;
PROFESSIONALS NEED TO BE MORE ACTIVE IN
SUPPORTING THE FIGHT AGAINST OBESITY
Nationality: United States of America
Position: Director
Department: Surgery
Organization: Center For Laparoscopic Obesity Surgery
Tel: +1-702 714 0011
E-mail: drr@clos.net

2. TAX SODA
SUBSIDIZE VEGETABLES;
PROFESSIONALS NEED TO BE
MORE ACTIVE IN
SUPPORTING THE FIGHT
AGAINST OBESITY
Robert RUTLEDGE1
1Director, Surgery, Center For Laparoscopic
Obesity Surgery, United States of America

4. Introduction
• “The World Health Organization
(WHO) has formally recognized
• Obesity as a global epidemic.”
• Bariatric professionals need to act as
• Leaders in addressing the Obesity
Epidemic.

5. Introduction
• “More than 35 million people die from
Obesity Related Non-Communicable
Diseass (NCDs) nearly two-thirds of the
world's annual deaths.
• The prime risk factors are tobacco,
alcohol, inactivity, and unhealthy diet
• Low FRUIT AND VEGETABLE and
• High SUGAR, FAT AND SALT intake.”

6. Blaming the Victim
• “Occurs when the victim of an injury are
held responsible for the injuries they
suffer”
• E.g.: “A Case for Shaming Obese
People!!”
• Being overweight is not a “Sin” (gluttony)

7. Research to Tap in to
Our Deepest Desires
• We are constantly being enticed to purchase
things we don’t need,
• Including food.
• Big companies like Coca Cola and General
Mills make millions of dollars every year
using researched methods of advertising and
food engineering to
• add SALT, SUGAR and FAT to food to
generate increasing levels of Consumption

8. Identification of Primitive Desires to
Eat SALT, SUGAR and FAT
• Companies use salt, sugar, and fat to
tap into primitive urges to consume
MORE!
• Their Research Has Paid OFF
• Food companies have known for
decades that salt, sugar and fat are not
good for us in the quantities present in
processed foods

9. Warning:
Bariatric Surgeons are Profiting
Millions of Dollars from the
Obesity Epidemic

10. Bariatric Surgeons are Profiting
from the Obesity Epidemic
• Bariatric Professionals must be willing
to speak out and act on the root causes
of Obesity
Note:
IT IS NOT LACK OF WILL POWER!!

11. Actions
• Reductions in
• SUGAR, FAT AND SALT INTAKE
• are critical to break the epidemic,
• but how?
• Learn form the fight against Smoking
• Taxes and Regulations on unhealthy
food and
• Subsidies on healthy foods.

12. Research on Effective Actions:
• Eyles et al reported that
• taxes on carbonated soft drinks that a
• 1% increase in the price of soft drinks
• would decrease consumption by 1%.
• 10% increase in the price of soft drinks
could decrease consumption by 1% to
as much as 24%.

13. Decrease Cost of Vegetables
Increased Intake of Vegetables
• The researchers' analysis showed that
for each 1% reduction in the price of
fruits and vegetables, consumption
would increase by 0.35% and
• Compensatory purchasing effects,
such as a reduction in
chicken/meat/fish purchases.

14. Candy as “Food”!
• Since candy and soda are considered
“food”
• They often carry no sales tax
• Anti-obesity advocates have been
pushing to change that.
• A few USA states — Washington and
Colorado — tax the sugary stuff, but
the political battles are hard.

15. AMA Favors Soda Tax
• The American Medical Assn.
• Voted at its annual meeting to
• Support a SODA TAX as
• One way to fight obesity and related
conditions.

16. Conclusions:
• Obesity is having a devastating impact
upon countries around the world
• Like tobacco before it requires aggressive
action to stop the its progression.
• Regulation and tax pricing strategies have
the potential to produce improvements in
population diets.
• We need to join together and Speak Up!