Tuesday's Trim Down

This Tuesday's Trim Down is based on a hotly debated issue, which is the government's involvement in helping create a healthy population. While most of us support efforts aimed at helping people make healthier choices, the question is where to draw the line. When do we want the government to help out and when do we want it to butt out? Some examples of recent government initiatives include: requiring food chains to list calorie values for food and drinks (e.g. Starbucks, Chiptole, Au Bon Pain, etc), taxing sodas, asking food manufacturers to reduce the salt content of their foods (e.g. Campbell Soup, Heinz, Kraft), and taking the trans fat out of peanut butter.

Readers, what do you think about these and other initiatives? Do you support them? Do you think it is too paternalistic? Would you prefer more initiatives aimed at lowering the cost of healthy foods or increasing access to exercise? What is your suggestion for helping create a healthier population?