Policies at the Local, State, and Federal levels affect our health. Increasing taxes on tobacco sales, for example, can improve population health by reducing the number of people using tobacco products.

Policies at the Local, State, and Federal levels affect our health. Increasing taxes on tobacco sales, for example, can improve population health by reducing the number of people using tobacco products. Some policies affect entire populations over extended periods of time while simultaneously helping to change individual behavior. For example, the 1966 Highway Safety Act and the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act authorized the Federal Government to set and regulate standards for motor vehicles and highways. This led to an increase in safety standards for cars, including seat belts, which in turn reduced rates of injuries and deaths from motor vehicle accidents. However, people have differing opinions as to how much Local, State, and Federal governments should intervene and try to influence personal behaviors. In your opinion, what are two things government could do to combat the obesity epidemic? Explain your ideas and discuss a potential advantage and a potential disadvantage for each of your suggestions. If you do not feel Local, State, or Federal governments should do anything about the obesity epidemic, explain why and discuss a potential advantage and a potential disadvantage of government doing nothing—