Should Losing Weight Be Less Taxing?
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By Glenn MuellereDiets Senior Writer/Editor
The tax man cometh! Will you be ready? There is a popular old expression that tells us, "nothing in life is certain except death and taxes." Well, believe it or not, tax season is just around the corner once again. If you’re like the majority of people out there, you look forward to filling out that tax return about as much as getting a root canal… without the Novocain. The bad news is that it is not very likely that gnomes or elves will do the work for you.
The good news is that the Internal Revenue Service gives obese Americans who are trying to lose weight under doctor's orders the opportunity to lighten their tax loads. Several years ago, the IRS began allowing certain individuals to deduct unreimbursed, itemized medical expenses exceeding 7.5% of their adjustable gross income -- including the costs for a prescribed weight loss program.
"The IRS ruling took a lot of people by surprise," the American Obesity Association's executive director Morgan Downey told CBS News. "This takes a different approach from the normal kind of urging everyone to diet and exercise as a lifestyle recommendation because it recognizes obesity as a major medical problem."
But is our government doing enough to keep its citizen's healthy? Do you think the IRS should offer more incentives for people to slim down and stay in shape?
Tell us if you think you deserve a tax break for the high cost of healthy living! Also, what items would you like to be able to deduct from your taxes? Diet plans? Meal delivery? Dietary supplements? Exercise equipment? Cast your vote below!
Labels: health, news, weight-loss
Comment: Thursday, March 20, 2008 11:13:00 PM - 
miguelpineiro said...
Cmon! The IRS giving incentives, no way! The government needs to stay out of people's lives. People don't need that type of motivation, even if they did offer some type of incentive, it still will not make any difference.
Comment: Friday, March 21, 2008 4:56:00 AM - 
said...
I understand the motivation in giving tax breaks to obese people in trying to get them to get healthy. I feel the same motivation should be offered to keep us healthy. It is expensive to eat healthy and to exercise in a gym to stay healthy. We who are concerned about health should be given the same tax breaks. Thank you.
Comment: Friday, March 21, 2008 5:48:00 AM - said...
eating whole foods are costly and the prices of organic and conventional vegetables, fruits,grains and protein are ridiculously high that it cost twice as much to eat healthy
Comment: Friday, March 21, 2008 6:18:00 AM - said...
Governments were set up to run countries, not solve all our problems. Pretty soon we'll be asking them to wipe out butts. We need to take responsiblillity for ourselves and our children. The government is not responsible for everything.
Comment: Friday, March 21, 2008 9:13:00 AM - said...
No, the government is not responsible for everything but when they wanted to give the computer industry a helping hand they removed the sales tax for one or two days out of the year. This was to drive business the way of people who "sit" and for the most part do not exercise. I say help out the fitness industry and give people a reason to spend their dollars to keep them lean and trim instead of soft and fat!
Comment: Friday, March 21, 2008 9:31:00 AM - said...
No way!!! The IRS should have NOTHING to do with health, weight, or any other personal matters....not even our money! Rather than giving the IRS yet more power over our lives, it should be abolished completely. If a less complicated system, like a flat tax or some other simple method, was implemented instead, we could better afford food and the other necessities of life. As usual, the ones doing the least to help themselves are asking for the most help from others, the government in particular. I want the government OUT of my life in all such matters.
Comment: Friday, March 21, 2008 10:30:00 AM - said...
No I don't want the goverment to control me. But who ever controls the prices on food should do a reversal role, make junk food expensive and healthy food cheaper and reasonal prices more wil buy. I know I would
Comment: Friday, March 21, 2008 11:27:00 AM - Pat Riley said...
Obesity and stupidity are not the same! I've been overweight most of my life. I know how to lose weight, I have done it before. And just like then if I get a tax break to help lose, I would probably gain the weight back later. I like to bake and I like to eat. I vote get rid of the IRS completely give us a national sales tax and we can do what we want with "our" money. Life choices don't last unless you really want them to. No one can buy you out of being fat!!
Comment: Friday, March 21, 2008 12:37:00 PM - said...
It's true that we have to take responsibilty for ourselves but that's easier said than done when the price of eating organic or even just eating lots of whole grains, fruits and vegetables is much higher than eating fillers such as white pasta, rice and breads. Perhaps the government can provide incentives to organic farmers and other producers of healthy foods that will enable them to reduce their costs so that they are affordable to the general public. Rich people should not be the only ones who can afford to eat healthy.
I believe providing tax incentives to people who eat and exercise will help reduce health care costs in the long run. It's the old ounce of provention thing.
Comment: Friday, March 21, 2008 12:47:00 PM - said...
I do NOT agree with the IRS giving incentives for obese people to lose weight. The government had nothing to do with them BECOMING obese, so why should they get a tax break for NOT taking care of themselves?? If that's the case, those of us who DO take care of ourselves should receive an incentive. Come on!!
Comment: Sunday, March 23, 2008 6:20:00 AM - said...
The costs of all healthy living choices should be exempt from being considered as income. It is, after all, our money, not the governments, and by living healthy, we save the nation a huge stack of change. So let us at least take the cost of healthy living choices off our income before it is taxed!
Comment: Thursday, April 03, 2008 9:33:00 AM - said...
How many people do you think actually spend 7.5% of their income on weight loss? Most people who can pay for a program already make a good income which means their 7.5% would be a higher amount to meet. Besides, they already pay higher taxes. My meager income is around 50K and I cannot pay for a weight loss program that would exceed 7.5% of my income. Besides it is not a direct reduction of their tax, just a reduction of the income amount that is taxable if they have other items to itemize on Schedule A to exceed the standard deduction. Beyond that, I agree with most of you, the government should keep their nose out of everyone's private lives. If people want to eat themselves literally to death, then so be it.
Comment: Monday, April 07, 2008 2:20:00 PM - said...
I am actually shocked to see such negative responses on this blog about government incentive on healthy living. Losing weight is not just for obese people. I myself have never been obese or overweight, however I took the initiative to lower my body fat and maintain a much healthier weight recently. In an effort to better my health and lower my chance of heart disease which runs in my family.( I am 5'6 and weighed 125 at 20% body fat, now I weigh 118 at 12% body fat, and I have much more energy and feel much healthier).If everyone would do their part, we would be saving many tax dollars that could be better allocated somewhere else such as education instead of staggering health care costs. I would not mind the monetary incentive for my health improvement which I also consider a contribution to society by keeping myself out of the doctor's office.Also, healthy eating and living involves making choices that are more costly than convenience foods and sedentary living. ( Organicfoods, whole grains as well as low-fat meat and gym memberships or sports gear are not very cheap).I also believe that by being a healthy-minded individual I can contribute more to our country's productivity so in return I will take the tax incentive.
Comment: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 8:32:00 AM - 
Barbara said...
I think membership at a gym, and exercize equipment is far more important that those big oil companies needing breaks!! i can't afford either but if i could deduct them, that would make sense. Better more fit people. Better country.
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