California is having another run at adding warning labels to sugar-sweetened beverages, and New York is joining in. Last year, state Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel) introduced a bill requiring that any sweetened non-alcoholic beverage (carbonated or non-carbonated) that contains 75 calories or more per 12 fluid ounces be labeled with the words, “Drinking beverages with…
Fast-Food Chain Removes Soda From Kids’ Menus
National fast-food chain Wendy’s is removing soda from its kids’ menus, acknowledging requests from consumer organizations, including MomsRising.org and the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Effective immediately, menus intended for children’s food options will not mention soda, although parents are still free to order it for their kids if they choose. The…
Berkeley Puts First Soda Tax on the Books
The city of Berkeley, CA became the first municipality in the country to approve a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages Tuesday. Measure D, a proposal to levy a 1-cent-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks and syrups, passed easily, with 75 percent of voters approving it. Only a 50 percent majority was needed to push the measure…
Mixed Results For Food Issues in Midterm Elections
The national headline of Tuesday’s elections is that Republicans have taken control of the U.S. Senate. This shift means that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will take over as Majority Leader for the 114th Congress and that Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS), who won a hotly contested race, will become Senate Agriculture Committee chairman. One of the…
Soda Warning Label Rejected by California Assembly Health Committee
California’s bill to add warning labels to sugar-sweetened beverages has stalled in the state’s Assembly Health Committee. The state Senate passed the bill last month but fell three votes short of the 10 needed to pass the committee on Tuesday. After hearing from the bill’s author, Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel), co-sponsors and beverage industry opponents,…
AMA, Mayors Say Food Stamps Should Not Buy Soft Drinks
This article has been updated to reflect additional information and include a post-publication interview with Edward Cooney, Executive Director of the Congressional Hunger Center. The American Medical Association, along with a coalition of 18 mayors, came out against the eligibility for sugary drinks to be purchased under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known…
Ridding Schools of Fast Food, Junk Food, and Soda Pushers
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…
NYC's Ban on Supersized Sugary Drinks Holds No Legal Water, Judge Says
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…
McDonald’s and Coca-Cola: An Unhealthy Alliance
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…
Canada Tests Tea and Soft Drinks for Safety
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…