Public Opinions in Obesity Tax: A Field Research in Turkey (Obezite Vergisine İlişkin Halkın Düşünceleri: Türkiye’de Bir Alan Araştırması)

The threat generated by obesity is increasing in terms of health of both individuals and society day by day. States are using different tools in fighting against this threat. One of these tools is taxing obesity. In fighting against obesity, in order to protect health, while there are tax proposals and practices in different names and subjects, Obesity Tax" is used as a generic name. We conducted a field questionnaire study applied all around Turkey, in order to measure the public opinion related with "Obesity Tax" that probably would be applied in Turkey. In this paper it is determined that public believe the necessity of fighting obesity; however, this struggle must be based on non-tax instruments because they have concern the tax might be applied for the fiscal purposes. According to results of the study, we offer specifically to the policy makers that regulative, public supported, efficient and unique “Obesity Tax” must be implemented, but, such tax revenues must be spent for fighting against obesity or subsidies for healthy products.