Tax chocolate to beat obesity?

Yesterday the idea of taxing chocolate as a way of beating obesity and diabetes was proposed by David Walker, a GP (family doctor) from Scotland.

Unsurprisingly many people took a dim view of this proposal, chocolate it seems is about much more than a sweet snack. Chocolate is eaten as much to change mood as anything else; typically it's eaten as aid to emotional well being not because we are hungry.

Putting a tax on something that is used to change our mood won't change consumption but will take more from the pockets of those who love chocolate.

The proposal ignores the underlying reason why we eat chocolate; it's only when we can deal effectively with the situation that causes low moods that consumption of sweet, fatty treats will reduce.