The move by Kerala to introduce a “fat tax” (Editorial, July 13) targeting only certain categories of branded food items is mere tokenism as it leaves out the products that really matter — sugar-sweetened drinks in particular. Many in India think that desi food is healthy and that only western recipes and products spoil our health, cause obesity, etc. What about our sweets, all dripping ghee, vanaspati and syrup? What about our salty snacks that are all deep-fried? Those who gorge themselves on jangiris , laddoos and Mysore pak along with murukkus and kara boondhi can become obese without having ever seen a pizza or a burger. Sweet shops have now increased portion sizes to double of what they used to be. Eating just one such sweet is enough to cause a spike in one’s sugar level. If Kerala is serious about trying to ensure the health of its citizens, the first thing it should do is to tax sugar-sweetened drinks. At the same time, there must be an awareness campaign about making better food choices which include steamed food.
Vathsala Vijayakumar,Chennai
