Search Weight Loss Topics:

Home » Diets that Work » Area officials weigh in on sugary drinks plan

The proposal to ban the sale of large sizes of sugary drinks in New York City has stirred a debate on personal vs. government responsibility for the nation's obesity epidemic.

If the city's health board approves the ban sponsored by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, restaurants, movie theaters and sporting venues would not be allowed to sell regular soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages in sizes larger than 16 ounces.

McDonald's and Coca-Cola slammed the proposal, saying they trust their customers to make decisions about their diets. Industry and health groups disagree on the contribution of soda to the fact that 70 percent of U.S. adults are overweight or obese.

An analyst at the Center for Consumer Freedom called the proposal insulting and paternalistic. But Michael Jacobson, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said in a statement that Bloomberg's move "is the boldest effort yet to prevent obesity."

"New York City's health department deserves tremendous credit for recognizing the harm that sugary soft drinks cause in the form of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease and for doing something about it," Jacobson said. "We hope other city and state public health officials adopt similar curbs on serving sizes and reducing Americans' exposure to these nutritionally worthless products."

The Post-Dispatch asked local health and government leaders to weigh in on the large-soda ban, and whether it would work here.

Dr. Dolores Gunn, director of the St. Louis County Department of Health "I think an education campaign would be a more effective way to address obesity in the St. Louis region. Although I find Mayor Bloomberg's move well-intentioned, it must be remembered that every place is different. What works in one community doesn't necessarily work in another, and I'm not sure a public health program like the mayor's would be all that effective here."

Beth Piper, dietitian, Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center "A ban on soda sizes is trying to use a single approach to a multifaceted problem. The obesity problem is huge and needs attention, but is going to need a comprehensive integrated approach over an extended time period. Families have to learn and want to make healthier choices in both food and exercise and have the resources to do so, and companies who promote inappropriately sized choices should have some consequences for doing so."

Dr. Kenneth Poole, Mercy Clinic Internal Medicine, Clayton I do not think that some sort of restriction on sugary drinks whether in this form or another is a bad idea.

"At the root of Mayor Bloomberg's ban is a push for portion control, which no one can effectively refute as a good thing in terms of health.

Follow this link:
Area officials weigh in on sugary drinks plan

Your Full Name
Your Email
Your Phone Number
Select your age (30+ only)	30313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120
Select Your US State	Select Your StateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington,DCWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Program Choice	Select Your ProgramInjectable HGHInjectable TestoteroneInjectable SermorelinInjectable Weight LossInjectable HCG DietInjectable Vitamins
Confirm over 30 years old	Yes
Confirm that you resident in USA	Yes
This is a Serious Inquiry	Yes
Message:

Home » Diets that Work » Area officials weigh in on sugary drinks plan