The US state of Alabama, the second fattest in the nation, is to impose a $25 a month surcharge on the health insurance of goverment employees whose body mass index is deemed unhealthy and who do nothing to change. The tax will also be levied on employees with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high glucose levels. The new charges will begin in 2011 and will affect more than 37,000 people. Alabama is the first state to impose a fat tax, and it already charges smokers an additional $24 per month. More than 30% of the population is obese, according to statistics.

 "Our goal was to make our members aware of those risk factors," says Deborah Unger, of the Alabama State Employees Insurance Board. "As long as you are aware and are doing something to correct it, there won't be a fee." ~ WebMD, Aug 25; Los Angeles Times, Aug 25