board of health

NYC's Mayor Bloomberg Bans Soda

1y ago

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Get ready to sell smaller containers of soda and other sweetened drinks. The obesity task force with the New York City Department of Health is ready to recommend that containers for sweetened beverages be limited to 16 ounces. The rule would affect drinks sold at delis, fast-food franchises, sports arenas, and sidewalk carts. Anyone who violates the regulation would be fined $200 for every sale. This is the latest initiative of Mayor Mike Bloomberg's war on obesity. The Health Department is already running commercials encouraging the public to stop drinking soda because of its sugar content. The city's Board of Health would need to approve the rule, but that is considered likely because the mayor appoints the board members. However, some people we spoke to say if they can't buy one 20-ounce drink they will just buy two 16-ounce bottles. The New York City Beverage Association is blasting the mayor for attempting to limit the size of sweetened drinks. The organization said soda is not driving the obesity rates and that "as obesity continues to rise, CDC (Centers for Disease Control) data shows that calories from sugar-sweetened beverages are a small and declining part of the American diet."

board of health

NYC's Mayor Bloomberg Bans Soda

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