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Time To Cut The Fat: The Case For Government Anti-Obesity Legislation , Stephen A. Mcguinness

Journal of Law and Health

This Article examines—and ultimately rejects—this anti-paternalism argument against government anti-obesity policies. It argues that government intervention in the food industry for the purpose of stemming the American obesity epidemic is justified and survives paternalistic objections to the contrary. This Article begins by briefly outlining the nature, severity, and causes of the obesity epidemic. It considers what can be done about the problem, finding that only government intervention is capable of effectively combating the crisis. It also outlines several types of potentially successful government anti-obesity strategies. Finally, it considers the primary topic of this Article: whether government anti-obesity policies constitute unjustified …