[Faline]

New York City health officials have approved America's first ban on sugary soft drinks in bottles larger than 16oz.

It is the latest in a series of attempts by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to improve the health of people living in the city.

The ban outlaws sugary drinks larger than 16oz almost everywhere they are sold, including restaurants, cinemas, stadiums and arenas.

The new rule does not include diet drinks, or drinks sold in supermarkets and convenience shops.

Anyone caught breaking the ban can face a $200 (£124) fine, enforceable by the city's restaurant inspectors.

There has been a concerted campaign by fast food industry lobby groups to stop the new law, and many have vowed to keep fighting until the measure is introduced in March next year.

Chairwoman of New Yorkers for Beverage Choices, Liz Berman, said: "It's sad the board wants to limit our choices.

"We are smart enough to make our own decisions about what to eat and drink."

Bumper stickers accusing Mayor Bloomberg of trying to create a nanny state can be seen on cars driving around the city.

His administration has previously taken steps to make smoking in the city much more difficult, forced chain restaurants to post calories on menus, and banned artificial trans-fats from restaurant food.

New York health commissioner, Thomas Farley, said that the new soft drink ban was "an historic step to address a major health problem of our time".

Recently, Mr Farley has remarked that if the law results in "shrinking only one sugary drink per person every two weeks from 20 ounces to 16 ounces, New Yorkers could collectively prevent 2.3 million pounds gained per year".

He said: "This would slow the obesity epidemic and prevent much needless illness."

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operaton and Development, about one third of Americans are overweight, and about 10% of the country's total healthcare costs are associated with obesity.

[pbaj12]

Something I never understood...if you are eating a place that has free refills for drinks, why spend $3 more to get a extra super large jumbo drink? More time you can keep your hands shoving big macs in your face to inhale them instead of getting up for a refill of diet coke?

Oh America as your belt size increases your IQ decreases.

[Sibella]

I rarely ever drink soda, but damn.. Let people make up their own fucking mind if they want one. Banning large sodas, then what's next? Guess there is nothing more important going on in the states. then to be worried about what people are drinking. Mayor Bloomberg is an asshole anyways.

[invertigo]

Who do they think they're kidding? This isn't about public health, this is about public image.

These guys are embarrased to represent a country of fat people. How does it look to other countries that the leaders of the free world cum laughing stock of the free world can't even figure out how feed themselves?

Were this actually about health issues the public would need to be educated well enough for people to know how foods effect their own, individual bodies and what the long term consequences of poor dietary decisions before it becomes a chronic illness. Someone who may appear overweight is not always unhealthy just as not all overweight people got that way from over eating .
If, after that, a person chose to eat poorly anway, that's their choice & reflects entirely on that persons choices, not the size of the cup in their hand.
If the mayor doesn't like it boo-fucking-hoo.

[Spiffyfable]

I'll have a 20 oz. Coke Please.

Oh, Really....

In that case, give me TWO 16 oz. Cokes

I swear I'm going to move to New Zealand

[juliemd]

sigh.......

[DiamondSmiles]

I drink iced tea with artificial sweetener or diet soda.

Since I just found out I'm diabetic, my diet is going to be pretty boring and monotonous, but, we need to make our own choices - right or wrong!

The government should spend their time and our money saving abused children and helping the impoverished and illiterate!

[Brometheus]

Originally Posted by pbaj12 ↗

Something I never understood...if you are eating a place that has free refills for drinks, why spend $3 more to get a extra super large jumbo drink? More time you can keep your hands shoving big macs in your face to inhale them instead of getting up for a refill of diet coke?

Oh America as your belt size increases your IQ decreases.

not everyone sits down to eat.. some buy and go.. no more free refills.. big cup ensures that you have enough that would fulfill 2 refills, without ever doing it. I eat on the go.. I dont really go to fast food places though.. yet, I may miss the big cup slushies from 7-11

[pbaj12]

Originally Posted by Brometheus ↗

not everyone sits down to eat.. some buy and go.. no more free refills.. big cup ensures that you have enough that would fulfill 2 refills, without ever doing it. I eat on the go.. I dont really go to fast food places though.. yet, I may miss the big cup slushies from 7-11

Ah well that's an exception haha. When I eat out I usually see people get the largest cup they have (when dining in)

[DiamondSmiles]

If you're on the road or just sitting around at work or home, the biggest cup is more convenient and usually cheaper.

With the largest iced tea, it lasts a good bit of the day with a few ice cubes added later in the day.