If the concept behind the 'fat tax' is truly health, then will diet soda be taxed as well? If a Diet Coke has less than one calorie, then it should be tax free.

If it is taxed, then I see this as another way to collect monies for the government, regardless of how you package the deal.

There's some evidence that diet soda makes people more prone to overeat because it's sweet but lacks calories. However, soda fills my stomach so that I sometimes can't eat for hours. It can even ruin a meal for me. A few gulps of diet Pepsi and I just can't manage to eat anymore for awhile.

I don't feel that diet beverages should be taxed. There aren't any calories and any overeating you do is because of lack of self control.

I'm just asking, because I'm not sure.

Does diet soda have comparable sugar levels? If so the diabetes piece of the original argument stands. This isn't about making America less round, its about making them healthier.

Although I honestly don't know much about whats in diet soda since I couldn't stand to drink it even back when I drank soda.

As an aside, swapping out sugary sodas for sugary juices and doing NOTHING else (just continuing on my usual semi-unhealthy habits) caused me to drop more than 5% of my body weight, which I didn't expect... and thats why I don't drink the stuff anymore. Going 50/50 on juice and water (smaller glass of juice and then water with the rest of meals) caused another 5% drop. Its amazing how much of our body weight comes fromsugary drinks (and pretty disturbing I think).

As for the "fat tax" I honestly haven't given it enough thought to weigh in one way or the other.