Robert Reich Quotes

In order to reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods, we should impose large snack taxes -- in the range of 5 to 10 percent

Things like depression and obesity are global challenges.

We've gone from a preponderance of acute and infectious disease as a source of premature death to chronic diseases, which are the preponderance of the burden of illness in most of the world. That puts a much higher premium on the prevention of chronic disease than ever in history.

I know the problem of obesity. I got to tell you, I think that's tepid. I just don't think the bully pulpit is going to be enough to sufficiently fight obesity. We're going to have to have incentives in here.

Diabetes and obesity together are the worst disease facing the country and its getting worse

A less healthy America is not going to be as productive.

I've said in the past that if I were Prime Minister, I would ban obesity.

Issues like obesity do, as you well know, have a knock-on effect to diabetes. So we all are better off if we invest early in prevention.

The sugar tax is fine. I agree with that. But I think it probably doesn't go too far. But then, I work on 'The Great British Bake Off.' We make cakes with sugar and butter. I can't be too critical. It is like anything in life: it is all about moderation.

I think public health is kind of in a very sad state of affairs here in this country.

The facts are in, the science is beyond question. Sugar in all its forms is the root cause of our obesity epidemic and most of the chronic disease sucking the life out of our citizens and our economy - and, increasingly, the rest of the world. You name it, it’s caused by sugar: heart disease, cancer, dementia, type 2 diabetes, depression, and even acne, infertility and impotence.

Right now we also have this epidemic of obesity and diabetes.

Let's face it, in America today we don't have a health care system, we have a sick care system. We wait until people become obese, develop chronic diseases, or become disabled - and then we spend untold hundreds of billions annually to try to make them better.

People tend to think of overweight and obesity as strictly a personal matter, but there is much that communities can and should do to address these problems.

What we have in the United States is not so much a health-care system as a disease-care system.

Health care, whether I like it or not, is at the foundation of my public service.

I think Tom Frieden, the CDC director, is a good man, is a good doctor and, I think, basically has done a good job.

We have a disease care system, not a health care system.

A lot of people are still suffering from water-borne diseases... We want to create something where we can make life better for everyone.

People determine the laws. But I do wish they would pass laws that enhance health, not jeopardize it.

So many diseases and illnesses have fundamental roots in the lack of clean water. Resolving the clean water crisis would mitigate a lot of problems.

I earned a Master's degree in Epidemiology from the Stanford University School of Medicine in 2009.

Despite all the attention paid to the obesity epidemic and the growing prevalence of preventable diseases, in the U.S. - as a society and as an industry - we've made health hard, even as our daily lives become easier.

My comedy routines have always been about the health of the nation.

When you have the demand, you can change the government policies that create McDonald's and junk food.