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Half of New Yorkers denounce Mayor’s ban on giant sodas | About half of New Yorkers believe that
Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed ban of sugary drinks over 16 ounces from the
city’s eateries is an example of government going too far, while 42 percent insist
that it would be good health policy, according to a poll released on Monday. Of
the 500 adults surveyed on Sunday for the NY1-Marist poll, 53 percent said the
proposal is a bad idea, while 42 percent praised the concept - which would make
New York the first American city to directly attempt to limit portion sizes in
an effort to fight obesity. 45 percent of those polled said that they think the
ban would help people lose weight, while 52 percent said it wouldn’t make any
difference. More than half the people surveyed said that they never order a sugary
drink, which is large enough that it should be banned. The pollsters contacted
people at random on cell phones and land lines on Sunday. The survey has a margin
of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points. Last week, Bloomberg proposed
limiting portion sizes of sugary drinks to 16 ounces at the city’s restaurants,
delis, food trucks, movie theatres and sporting arenas. Regular soda and sports
drinks would be affected, while diet sodas wouldn’t. Any drink that’s more than
half milk or more than 70 percent juice would be exempt. Refills will not be banned
under the proposal. Grocery stores and many convenience stores are regulated by
the state and wouldn’t be impacted. “Every study shows that you will eat a very
big proportion of whatever’s put in front of you,” CBS News quoted Bloomberg as
saying. “And if you have to make a conscious effort to go to another cup, you’re
less likely to do it,” he said. “When we’re looking at a city where there is an
epidemic of overweight and obesity and we look at the diseases that are associated
with obesity, even in young kids, 50 pounds of sugar a year, of added sugar to
rest of the diet, is way too much,” Cathy Nonas, director of the city’s physical
activity and nutrition program, said. Since New York City banned sugared beverages
from schools in 2003, the city’s health commissioner says there’s been about a
5 percent reduction in the obesity rates in NYC public school kids in the last
four years. Marc La Vorgna, a spokesman for Bloomberg, said the poll showed New
Yorkers weren’t overwhelmingly set against the proposal. “We didn’t propose it
because we thought it would be popular, but it should come as no surprise that
the numbers are so close since New Yorkers always have had an openness to bold
ideas when taking on intractable problems,” he said in a statement. The ban has
been denounced by the soft-drink industry and critics who accuse the mayor of
trying to institute a “nanny state” rather than allowing individuals to make their
own choices. It’s expected to win the approval of the Bloomberg-appointed Board
of Health and take effect as early as March of 2013. Soda company Coca-Cola says
New Yorkers are smart enough to make the choice for themselves. “The people of
New York City are much smarter than the New York City Health Department believes,”
the company said in a statement. “We are transparent with our consumers. They
can see exactly how many calories are in every beverage we serve. New Yorkers
expect and deserve better than this. They can make their own choices about the
beverages they purchase. We hope New Yorkers loudly voice their disapproval about
this arbitrary mandate,” Coca- Cola said. Fast food chain restaurant McDonald’s
whose drinks would be impacted by the plan also released a statement against the
proposal. “Public health issues cannot be effectively addressed through a narrowly-focused
and misguided ban,” the company said. “This is a complex topic, and one that requires
a more collaborative and comprehensive approach. McDonald’s takes the well-being
of our customers very seriously, and we continue to work, along with our supplier
partners, to be part of the solution,” the company added.
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