There’s little question the United States has an obesity problem. The big question is what to do about it.
Lots of people hate the idea of a fat tax on sugary, fatty foods and sodas. An alternative is the concept of tax incentives to promote healthier living.
Canada has adopted this approach, offering parents a $500 non-refundable tax credit for enrolling their child in an approved physical activity program, for a maximum rebate of $75. This Children’s Fitness Tax Credit costs the Canadian government about $100 million annually.
There are also more localized efforts, such as Saskatchewan’s Active Family Benefits program, in which parents of children six to 14 years old can get an annual tax benefit of up to $150 per child for enrolling their kids in an approved cultural, recreational, or sports program.
But do such programs work?
A new paper (see abstract) in the American Journal of Public Health addresses whether these initiatives have succeeded in making kids healthier. The answer appears to be no.
The paper’s authors note:
“Tax expenditures aim to affect individual behaviors without addressing systemic factors that could be strong influences on those behaviors; for example, they give incentives to register in physical activity programs or to purchase equipment, but they do not necessarily affect the availability of such programs or of safe places to use the equipment.”
“The estimated costs of the tax-based programs in Canada are substantial; therefore, it is important to consider whether those public funds are better spent on other strategies that could instead provide direct public funding to improve recreational facilities and active transportation networks or to enhance physical activity programs in schools.”
Previous studies of these programs, which have been strongly supported by Canada’s fitness and exercise industry, have found that they tended to benefit wealthy families.
Found via Dr. Sharma.