MBA英語(yǔ)閱讀：Fat is a fiscal-policy issue

1

In rich countries, people's diets are getting worse and they are getting fatter. Hence the increasing popularity of a “fat tax”, to make unhealthy food cost more. Since Hungary led the charge in 2011 with a “chip tax” on fatty and sugary foods, other countries have followed. Britain is to join a long list next year.

譯：在發(fā)達國家，人們的飲食越來(lái)越差，人也越來(lái)越胖。因此，“肥胖稅”越來(lái)越受歡迎，從而使得不健康食品價(jià)格上漲。自從匈牙利在2011年率先對高脂肪和高糖食品征收“炸薯條稅”之后，其他國家也紛紛效仿。下一年英國也要加入這些國家之列。

2

Since the poor both spend a higher proportion of their income on food and tend to eat less healthily, they are the main targets of such taxes. In France, for instance, adult obesity is seen in over 20% of households with monthly incomes under €1,500 ($1,765) compared with less than 10% of those who earn over €3,000.

proportion  n. 比例; 部分; 正確的比例，均衡

obesity    n. （肥胖）癥

譯：由于窮人在食品上的支出占收入的比例更高，而且往往吃得不太健康，所以窮人是這類(lèi)稅收的主要目標。例如在法國，在月收入低于1500歐元（折合1765美元）的家庭中，超過(guò)20%有成年人肥胖癥，相比之下，在月收入高于3000歐元的家庭中，低于10%的家庭中有成年人肥胖癥。

3

Punishing consumers, however, is politically painful. So “thin subsidies” have been gaining ground. But data on the impact of such policies are scarce. A recent study on the distributional impacts of fat taxes and thin subsidies from researchers at the universities of Oklahoma and Grenoble suggests policymakers should be wary.

subsidy   n. 津貼，補貼，補助金

gain ground 占領(lǐng)陣地；變得更受歡迎；取得進(jìn)展；得到肯定

scarce adj. 不足的，缺乏的，稀少的

wary  adj. 小心翼翼的，謹慎的

譯：然而，（肥胖稅）懲罰消費者在政治上是痛苦的。所以“瘦身補貼”越來(lái)越為人們所接受。但是關(guān)于這些政策影響的數據少之又少。美國俄克拉荷馬州大學(xué)和法國格勒諾布爾大學(xué)的研究人員最近對肥胖稅和瘦身補貼的分布影響進(jìn)行了一項研究，研究結果表明政策制定者們應該小心謹慎。

4

The study found that the taxes and subsidies actually widened health and fiscal inequalities. Fat taxes meant the women on lower incomes paid disproportionately more for food—their habits changed less. They preferred to buy food they liked rather than what made nutritional sense. Taxing the food they eat most made the poor poorer.

譯：研究發(fā)現，稅收和補貼實(shí)際上擴大了健康和財政的不平等。肥胖稅意味著(zhù)收入較低的女性為食物支付的比例更高，她們的飲食習慣不易改變。她們更傾向于購買(mǎi)自己喜歡的食品，而不是更有營(yíng)養的食品。對她們經(jīng)常吃的食品征稅會(huì )使得窮人更窮。

5

Subsidies encouraged all income groups to buy more fruit and vegetables. But those on higher incomes proved more responsive and so benefited most. Interestingly, richer folk were also more likely to buy the subsidised healthy food and then spend the savings they had accrued on yet more healthy food.

accrue  v.（使）〔錢(qián)〕逐漸增加，積累

譯：該研究還發(fā)現，補貼能促使各收入水平的人們去買(mǎi)更多的水果和蔬菜，但是那些收入更高的人反應更積極，因此受益最大。有意思的是，富有的人也更有可能購買(mǎi)有補貼的健康食品然后把他們積累的積蓄花在更健康的食物上。

6

But poorer women, if they responded to lower prices, often used the money saved to buy unhealthy items or something else entirely. Once the nutritional price policies were applied, the average share of budget spent on healthy food actually increased for the better-off.

better-off  adj. 生活較優(yōu)裕的，經(jīng)濟狀況較好的

譯：而那些較貧窮的女性，如果她們對較低的價(jià)格作出反應，她們通常會(huì )用省下來(lái)的錢(qián)買(mǎi)不健康的食品或其他東西。一旦“營(yíng)養價(jià)格”政策付諸實(shí)踐，政府預算中花在健康食品的平均份額實(shí)際上是為較富裕人群增加的。

7

The reverse was true for the poor. The long-term benefits of a healthier diet are harder to grasp than the immediate boost of a tasty treat. Taxes and subsidies do not change that. Other strategies are needed as well—notably education.

boost   v. 促進(jìn)，推動(dòng)   n. 激勵，增長(cháng)，提高

notable adj. 值得注意的，顯著(zhù)的，顯要的

譯：對于窮人來(lái)說(shuō)，情況正好相反。健康飲食的長(cháng)期益處不如美味食物直接刺激來(lái)得實(shí)在。收稅和補貼都改變不了以上事實(shí)。因此，其它策略也不可缺少，尤其是教育。