The Scotsman Dr. David Walker, GP from Lanarkshire has  provoked quite a messy UK Chocolate Health debate with his medical colleagues, the chocolate industry and of chocoholic fans, mostly women across the UK who are incensed by his proposal at this weeks British Medical Association (BMA) conference in Clydebank,West Dunbartonshire, to introduce of all things, “a chocolate health tax”. All of this with the justification that it would cut rising levels of obesity amongst the British population. Needless to say that the Conference roundly shot down this mischievous  proposal categorized by his colleagues, the industry, the media and die hard choco fans as “utterly idiotic”, “stupid”, “ridiculous” etc.

In what it calls a “bittersweet victory”,  The Herald reports that for Scottish Family doctors - ‎”It was as tempting as a box of chocolates.” And they  “almost succumbed to the quick fix of a health tax on chocolate as a means of tackling the increasing ill-health resulting from over consumption”. Find below a sampling of the tsunami of responses provoked by the Scottish GP’s proposal:

The Scotsman reports that CALLS for a “chocolate tax” to  fight … rising levels ofobesity in the UK were narrowly rejected by doctors yesterday. David Walker, a GP in Lanarkshire, led calls for an increase in the price of chocolate to tackle weight-related ill health such as …

Emily Moulton of the Belfast Telegraph in article entitled Taxing Time for Chocolatesays that: Doctors’ leaders in Northern Ireland would rather see price promotions for fruit and vegetables as a means to curb the growing rise of obesity in the province rather than a tax on chocolate …

Times Online characterizes A Tax on Chocolate? (as) Utterly Idiotic … and says that … Dr David Walker, a GP in Lanarkshire, is a brave man indeed. Risking the wrath of most of the female population of Britain, he has dared to suggest that chocolate may not be very good for us. Worse still, he proposes that it be taxed in the same way as ..

The Telegraph.co.uk. by contrast in an article titled, Chocolate should be Taxed to control Obesity supports the proposal that “Chocolate should be taxed in the same way as alcohol to control Britain’s obesity epidemic, a medical conference has heard. By Simon Johnson Dr David Walker said chocolate used to be a treat, but has become a harmful addiction, causing weight problems, …

Sky News titles that Scottish Doctors Reject Chocolate Tax Call to help Britain get to grips with its obesity epidemic. Dr David Walker earlier called for the tax because he said he believed that chocolate was a “major player” in the problem of the …

The Press Association in a report titled Doctors Reject Chocolate Tax Plan depicts it as “A controversial proposal to campaign for a tax on chocolate to help curb obesity which has been narrowly rejected by doctors. Lanarkshire GP David Walker led calls for an increase in chocolate prices as a way of tackling weight-related conditions like

AFP - ‎LONDON announced the story as Call for Chocolate Tax Sparks Debate in Britain…. Chocolate should be taxed like alcohol and tobacco, to help rein in a growing obesity problem, a British medical conference was told Thursday. People generally understimate the health dangers of chocolate, family doctor David Walker told …

BBC News also lead with the story entitled GP’s Vote Against Chocolate Tax in a proposal for chocolate to be taxed in the same way as alcohol and cigarettes to tackle increasing levels of obesity. Dr David Walker, a GP in Lanarkshire, warned that chocolate had lost its status as a “treat” and had …

The Los Angeles Times also chimed in from the other end of the world with an outraged headline, “You Want to Tax What?“ ” Dr. David Walker, a general practitioner from the town of Airdrie, said the candy has become a harmful addiction for too many of his countrymen and is …”

The Mirror.co.uk warns in its lead article entitled Tax Chocalate to Beat Obesity, say Doctors, that Chocoholics face a fight with daft doctors who want to slam heavy taxes on their favourite treat. They say too much chocolate makes us fat and it should be priced up – like booze and tobacco – so we buy less. But the sweet-toothed masses and industry …

The guardian.co.uk - uses the controversy to ask in true British democratic tradition that readers express their opining regarding the question: Should We Tax Chocolate to Tackle Obesity? chocolate used to be …

CBS News did not stay out of the fray and reports that a UK Doctor Wants Chocolate Taxed as he is so concerned that Britons are taking after their American cousins in the waistline department that he’s recommending the government tax chocolate. Dr. David Walker, a family doctor and nutritionist, warned in an interview with the …

Even the usually serious Management Today comments in sarcastic headline “Chococolate Tax: Doctors Don’t Bite that “‎Scottish GPs have voted against a tax on chocolate, which was proposed to help fight obesity. The plan, which suggested hitting chocolate lovers with a tax similar to those which infuriate smokers and drinkers, was proposed by Dr David Walker, …

The Belfast Telegraph hits the nail on its head with the Unwrapping an Obesity TimeBomb headline in which it states that “The call by a Scottish doctor to impose a tax on chocolate was probably more an expression of frustration at the UK’s eating habits than a serious suggestion of how to combat obesity. David Walker’s proposal – he said the revenues raised could be used …”

The BirminghamMail.net reports the chocolate maker ‎CADBURY’s understandable rejection of “a call to control obesity by taxing chocolate, arguing that the food stuff is already hit by VAT” … read Cadbury Rejects Plan to tax Chocolate in Obesity Fight…

The Tabloid Paper, The Sun’s staff reporter  challenged the  family doctor assumptions under the headline “We should Milk Chocolate Sales” by saying “GP David Walker says our favourite treats should be taxed because chocolate is “a major player” in Britain’s obesity epidemic. But sweet-toothed Peggy Griffiths is proof that chocolate can be good for you – she’s just turned …”

‎Is this a perfect example of a storm in a chocolate cup - or has the doctor opened up a can full with taboos that we don’t want to face up to. Weigh in and share your opinions on the issue.  don’t forget to Digg. Don’t forget to check back soon.

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“Better For You” is a category used to described health and wellness products popularized by the North America and Western Europe weight management and weight loss fads like the “South Beach” and “Atkins” diets as well as concerted public authority campaigns in these countries in favour of healthy eating habits to stop the obesity pandemic.

The category includes food and beverage products where the amount of a substance considered to be less healthy (such as fat, sugar, salt, carbohydrates) has been actively reduced or removed during the production process

In 2005, global Better For You (BFY) sales in this category was estimated at US$108.9 billion, with health beverage and food supplements sales achieving respectively 11% and 8% annual growth.

Canadians, as educated consumers, have shown strong demand for Better For You products in an attempt to follow healthier lifestyles. According to AC Nielson research, the number of products listed as “better for you” in Canada doubled the new labelling standards from Health Canada came into effect in 2003, which allows for health claims to be displayed on product labels. This is currently a successful and predictably long-staying trend as companies develop new BFY options and nutritionally improved staple food products such as naturally healthier olive oil and whole grain bread.

BFY snack foods are strong performers in the Canadian market, with reduced-fat items outpacing sales of conventional products. Reduced-fat biscuits, sweet and savoury snacks, as well as extruded snacks, such as flavoured rice crisps and soy crisps, are strong performers at retail grocery stores across the country. In particular, the major sweet and savoury snack producer Frito-Lay Canada, boosted sales of BFY products when its reduced-fat “Baked” Lay’ s and Tostitos were introduced to the market. Reduced-fat products are also popular for staple food items such as milk, oils and fats, as well as in convenience products such as frozen and chilled ready-meals. For instance, despite a decrease in per capita consumption of milk, reduced-fat milk sales grew 4% in 2006, and reduced-fat yogurt represented over a third of all retail sales of yogurt in Canada.

Healthier oils and fats is a major trend affecting Canadian consumers as the population has become more educated about health problems associated with the high-fat content of traditional products. Over half of all retail sales of spreadable oils and fats are from reduced-fat, reduced-salt, or reduced combination BFY products, as well as naturally healthy olive oil spreads. This success can mainly be attributed to Unilever Canada‘ s aggressive marketing of its ‘Becel’ brand as a healthy alternative to butter. Sales of naturally healthy olive oil are strong, with higher priced imported “extra virgin” varieties boosting sales values.

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