As the New York Board of Health gets ready to vote on 16 ounces sugar drink ban for September 13, the proposed bill gained the support of a number of weight loss brands including Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, The South Beach Diet and The Best Life.
In a news conference on Tuesday, Mayor Bloomberg announced endorsement from Arthur Agatston of South Beach Diet, Dana Fisher of Jenny Craig and Dave Burwick of Weight Watchers.
Burwick told New York AM, "We hope that more mayors and health department follows New York City's example to promote a healthy environment."
In May, Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a bill in an attempt to combat rising obesity rates. The bill seeks to ban the sale of any 16 ounce soda or sugary drinks in any food entity that receives a letter grade for food services; this includes restaurants, hotels, delis, food-chains, food carts and movie theaters.
The ban will not apply to bottled drinks sold in markets or stores. It also will not include diet drinks, fruit juices, alcoholic or dairy drinks.
The American Soft-Drink industry has campaigned hard against the Mayor's bill that would ban the sale of large-sized sugared drinks. The industry has started gathering signatures from civilians and related companies in a campaign against the bill that would put a ban on the sale of any sugared or soda drinks larger than 16 ounces from any entity that receives a letter grade for food service, this includes restaurants, hotels, delis, food-chains, food carts and movie theaters.
The coalition put together by the industry and its supporters is aptly named New Yorkers Beverages Choice. The campaign strategy includes radio commercials, billboard signs and petitions.
The American Average Association (ABA) is sponsoring the campaign. ABA spokesman, Eliot Hoff told the New York Times, "We are prepared to utilize whatever resources necessary." The campaign is cleverly evading the topic of obesity and citing freedom of choice as its fundamental point for opposition.
According to Mayor Bloomberg restricting the availability of super-sized sugary drinks to the people is doing exactly that, he told the New York Times, "New York is not about wring your hands; it's about doing something. I think that's what the public wants the mayor to do."
The New York City Board of Health is scheduled to vote on the bill on September 13. The bill is the first of its kind and if passed, will be in effect from March 2013.
