Opinion
With the passage of the Healthy, Hungry-Free Kids Act of 2010, in addition to improving school meals, Congress required the U.S. Department of Agriculture to update nearly nonexistent nutrition standards on so-called competitive foods. These are foods sold outside the school meal program, including fast food items sold alongside the reimbursable lunches, and soft drinks… Continue Reading
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposal to ban sugary drinks over 16 ounces – passed by the city’s Board of Health last year – was struck down by a judge this week. The so-called Portion Cup Rule, which was set to take effect Tuesday, would have applied to fast food and sit down restaurants, movie… Continue Reading
Opinion
Today the New York City Board of Health approved Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposal to limit the size of sugary soft drinks. Motivated by rising diet-related chronic diseases (along with healthcare costs), the Mayor’s attempt to rein in out-of-control portion sizes caused quite a media firestorm. Predictably, the soda lobby has come out swinging, complete with… Continue Reading
Two studies released Friday by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) found that dried tea samples analyzed for pesticide residues, mercury and other metals, as well as soft drinks and corn syrup tested for mercury, were safe for consumption. Both studies are part of the CFIA’s ongoing and strict testing regimen to help keep the… Continue Reading
A coalition of more than 100 health organizations and individual experts have penned a letter asking for a U.S. Surgeon General’s report on sugary drinks, which many say are partly to blame for America’s obesity epidemic. Signatories, led by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) – a consumer advocacy group – called on… Continue Reading
Opinion
Deja vous all over again? Last month, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a controversial cap on sugary drink portion sizes. If the proposal is passed, sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces will no longer be able to be sold in the city’s restaurants, stadiums, food carts and movie theatres. Now, a so-called “grassroots”… Continue Reading
Months after Coca-Cola reformulated its soda sold in California to reduce the level of chemical 4-methylimidazole (4-MI or 4-MEI) so that it would not need a carcinogen warning label, the company has not yet tweaked its formulation for other states and countries, new test results show. The Center for Science in the Public Interest found… Continue Reading
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has charted a course for fighting obesity that does not – at least at the outset – depend upon public opinion. That’s good for him because Americans in general and New Yorkers in particular oppose Bloomberg’s plan to ban the sale of big sugary sodas in the Big Apple. Rasmussen… Continue Reading
A small soda at McDonalds is about to become the largest option available in New York City if a proposal to limit sugary drink portion sizes is passed by the city’s health board. Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration, which has made public health a central part of its agenda, announced Thursday that it is seeking a… Continue Reading
Why are so many Americans overweight or obese? The Institute of Medicine weighed in on the issue Tuesday with a comprehensive 478-page report that puts the blame on a social structure that promotes unhealthy choices. The document – intended as a roadmap for obesity prevention – says that willpower alone will not help people stay… Continue Reading
Last week a consumer advocacy group reported that the leading brown sodas contain levels of 4-methylimidazole (4-MI) – an animal carcinogen – high enough to cause cancer in 7 out of 1 million Americans. Days later, soda companies, including Coca-Cola and Pepsi, announced that they were reducing the amount of 4-MI in their colas to… Continue Reading