Romania mulls over fast food tax.

Nutritionists have warned that a pioneering tax on fast foods about to be introduced in Romania will not keep a lid on increasing obesity rates unless it is implemented properly. They argue that the planned new levy—drawn up by the health ministry and to be submitted to parliament for approval this month—could send out a confusing message to consumers in its current form about which foods precisely are unhealthy. It could inadvertently lead to people eating less healthily, say experts. Cristian Panaite, a nutritionist at the KiloStop Nutrition Clinic in Bucharest, tells The Lancet: “This tax could really help people lose weight and eat more healthily if it is made clear exactly what is fast food and considered less healthy. “It must be a tax that really does tax [certain foods] so as to encourage people to eat more healthily, for instance, to consume more vegetables. People in Romania don’t care very much about what is good for them and what is not and this tax could be a good way of educating them to do so—but only if it is done properly.” “But it will not be good if it is just a tax on certain types of fast foods or outlets and ends up being just a way to raise money for the state and not a method of making people’s eating habits more healthy.” The new tax on foods like hamburgers, chips, fi zzy drinks, and other fast foods with high sugar and fat levels which has been proposed by the health ministry comes as the Balkan