Health News
- Kentuckians Split On Taxing Sugary Drinks To Pay For Nutrition And Physical-activity Programs, But Like Warning Labels For Such Drinks
Should soda and other sugary drinks be taxed to fund school nutrition and physical activity programs? Kentucky adults are almost evenly divided on the issue, but the majority of them believe that sodas and sugary drinks should come with a health warning...
- Nyc Deeply Split On Bloomberg Plan To Ban Supersize Sodas
Bloomberg with Linda I. Gibbs, deputy mayor for health. (New York Times photo by Chang W. Lee)In a bold move to curb obesity, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to ban the sale of supersize sodas and other sugary drinks by restaurants,...
- Is The Soda Ban Illegal?
By Dr. Madelyn FernstromThe debate on whether the serving size of a soda should be regulated by the government is continuing to heat up. I?ve been writing about this controversial ban on selling soda with a limit of 16 ounces because this is a prime...
- Is Obesity The New Normal?
There?s an old joke that goes something like this: ?If you want to feel thinner, hang around with heavier people.? Maybe that?s not so funny anymore. With two-thirds of the U.S. population overweight or obese, the ?look? of Americans has changed. We?re...
- Downsize Those Sugary Drinks!
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom It?s official ? Americans are drinking way too many sugary drinks. New results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) have documented some scary findings when it comes to consumption of sugary drinks....
Health News
More on Limiting Sugary Drinks
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
Here?s an update on the sugary drink debate and size limits that I wrote about back in June. New York City?s leadership proposed a ban on the sale of sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces. A huge debate followed, ranging from personal choice and cost issues to the increasing presence of the food police. All of this was speculation until the Board of Health voted on this hot button issue. You might be surprised to hear that this ban was recently approved.
The ban covers sodas and sugary drink blends, not 100% juice. Also excluded are dairy-based drinks containing at least 50 percent milk.
Having thought a little more about this controversy, I wonder if size limit is really the issue ? 16 ounces is two full cups (around 200 calories). Could the real issue be the idea that someone wants to limit personal food choice? It?s not like Americans are unaccustomed to smaller serving sizes. If you?re over 40 years old, you can recall a time when 16 ounces was considered a huge serving! Now, we are so used to seeing super-sized servings everywhere, the 16-ounce serving looks puny by comparison.
Do you think this will become a national phenomenon? Many people never thought a bill like this one would pass. Is this a nod to more ?mindful eating? or an intrusion of personal rights?
Please share your thoughts on this controversial issue.
- Kentuckians Split On Taxing Sugary Drinks To Pay For Nutrition And Physical-activity Programs, But Like Warning Labels For Such Drinks
Should soda and other sugary drinks be taxed to fund school nutrition and physical activity programs? Kentucky adults are almost evenly divided on the issue, but the majority of them believe that sodas and sugary drinks should come with a health warning...
- Nyc Deeply Split On Bloomberg Plan To Ban Supersize Sodas
Bloomberg with Linda I. Gibbs, deputy mayor for health. (New York Times photo by Chang W. Lee)In a bold move to curb obesity, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to ban the sale of supersize sodas and other sugary drinks by restaurants,...
- Is The Soda Ban Illegal?
By Dr. Madelyn FernstromThe debate on whether the serving size of a soda should be regulated by the government is continuing to heat up. I?ve been writing about this controversial ban on selling soda with a limit of 16 ounces because this is a prime...
- Is Obesity The New Normal?
There?s an old joke that goes something like this: ?If you want to feel thinner, hang around with heavier people.? Maybe that?s not so funny anymore. With two-thirds of the U.S. population overweight or obese, the ?look? of Americans has changed. We?re...
- Downsize Those Sugary Drinks!
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom It?s official ? Americans are drinking way too many sugary drinks. New results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) have documented some scary findings when it comes to consumption of sugary drinks....