THE BIG FAT APPLE
“MY PARENTS WENT TO AMERICA FOR CHRISTMAS AND ALL THEY BOUGHT ME WAS A LOUSY FIVE POUNDS OF BODY FAT” Proposed slogan on souvenir t-shirt.
There are a more than a million stories in the Big Apple and most of them are fat.
Now, according to Newsmax: “New York City will restrict sales of sugary soft drinks to no more than 16 ounces a cup in restaurants, movie theaters, stadiums and arenas after the Board of Health approved Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan”.
“Supersize Me” no more? Image via bloomberg.com. Front page image via msn.com.
“Obesity is one of America’s most deadly problems, and sugary beverages are a leading cause of it,” Bloomberg said Sept. 4 in Queens, where Weight Watchers International Inc., which offers diet programs, endorsed his plan.
“Reasonable portion sizes won’t prevent anyone from buying or drinking as much soda as they want, but it will help people keep from inadvertently taking in junk calories,” he said.
Today’s vote followed three months of public comment. The health department said it received 38,000 comments, with 32,000 in support and 6,000 opposed.
“To not act would be criminal,” said board member Susan Klitzman, a professor and director of the Urban Public Health Program at Hunter College in Manhattan.
Restaurants, movie theaters and other outlets have six months to comply or face a $200 fine each time there’s a violation, the health department said. The ban doesn’t apply to convenience stores and groceries, which are regulated by New York state. The regulation does allow patrons to buy as many of the smaller drinks as they want and to get refills.
Those opposed included, not surprisingly, Coca Cola, Pepsi and Dunkin’ Donuts who said it would have a “devastating” impact.
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15 Responses to this article
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Matt September 14, 2012
Great article and something I am passionate about.
Firstly I don’t understand the US culture of admiring enormous portions. It baffles me. As you point out, restaurants in the US pride themselves on the ludicrous size of their meals. But they wouldn’t do that if it wasn’t commercially successful so therefore American people also value these enormous servings. My question is why?
Is such excess an affirmation of their nation’s prosperity?
Is it seen as a sign of individual success to be able to afford such large quantities of food? If anyone does know please enlighten us.
Should they restrict portion sizes? As much as I hate Governments impinging on the freedoms of the individual in this case I’d probably have to say YES. What’s happening in American food culture is quite simply absurd, totally needless and ultimately destructive to people’s health. -
Mel September 14, 2012
I’m afraid I have to go with personal responsibility. The over regulation of all sorts of actions/behaviours these days is unbelievably ridiculous. Especially since most of the examples seem to be ineffective at fixing the perceived problem.
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FerrelBerryl September 14, 2012
Clearly private enterprise cannot be trusted to do the right thing. As for personal responsibility it’s a bit rich when corporations spend millions researching methods to best tap into our primitive motivators, spending many more millions making cheaper and more readily available than competing foods (we use the term ‘share of mouth’ over than over again in food marketing where I spent the last decade working and poorly funded, poorly organised banana and lettuce farmers are as much your competition as KFC) and then throw up their hands and say “personal responsibility” when the consumer responds exactly how they are programmed to. We are programmed to take advantage of an abundance of food and that abundance is being rammed down our throats again and again. Food can salve an enormous number of modern world hurts. Its a sensory deprivatior like smoking, drink, sex. It’s hardly surprising that individuals respond the way they do to food marketing. I think it’s entirely appropriate that governments, the only force (theoretically) bigger than the corporations steps in because without them it’s one person against an industry worth many billions of dollars.
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RobynMarie September 14, 2012
Surely if personal responsibility was enough there wouldn’t be an obesity issue would there?
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Kaz September 14, 2012
When I lived in Korea I noticed how portion sizes were tiny – like 150-200 ml little glass bottles of soft drink. It was as though the belief was “small equals quality”. America seems to do “big equals abundance”. I’m sure it’d be interesting to examine the pyschology behind this need for “bigger the better”. I think Matt is on the right track.
But to answer the question, I think its about both personal responsibility AND government regulation. Sure its up to me what I put in my mouth, but I think these big fast food companies need some reining in because they are are sure as heck enabling this obesity epidemic.
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Astrid September 14, 2012
I would like to see the meal deals gone. I hate that just because I want one extra thing that it is cheaper to actually buy more that what I need or want.
It is sad that we have become focused on quantity rather than quality. One of our favourite restaurants has gone down that path. Use to be that we could have the 3 courses not feel stuffed and really enjoy the meal. Now they have upsized (as that is what the locals want), it now detracts from how beautiful the food actually is. -
Jo-Anne September 14, 2012
OK, I’ve wiped away the tears from the “bleeding heart” of those opposed! And what great humour writing Wendy! But holly crap! I have to ask… what the hell is wrong with a peoples, & it’s not just the USA, we aren’t that far behind…. that feel the need to consume super sized portions! When the fxcx is it going to stop! Everywhere you turn there is something going wrong with out food! GM wheat now mooted can cause liver damage! WHY does all this go on! The answer is most likely ‘making very few individuals a super size wad of money” – but there is no conscience in it! The true cost of this flows down the line when the consumer ends up on life support. OH I almost forgot that the Chem companies who also supply drugs to help you cope with the body breakdown, are in on this.
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sami September 14, 2012
I remember the bigfoot pizzas being around when I was a kid, now that you mention them!
Anyway I agree, there is no downside to removing those massive cup sizes. It’s such a small change to implement, really. I’m as guilty as anyone of eating too much at times, but not on any sort of regular basis like they seem to in america.
Personal responsibility only goes so far. Just look at Jamie Olivers attempts to bring healthy food into the lives of americas overweight towns, it takes a LOT of persuasion and encouragement and downright nagging on his behalf to even get people on board. It’s horrifying! They’re so resistant to it. Scary stuff.
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Nora September 14, 2012
The silly thing is that you can still sell enormous cups of fruit juice (as much sugar as soft drink), iced tea, those flavoured-syrup-laden “coffee”s Americans seem to like so much, flavoured milk/milkshakes, and so on. And most American fast food places, diners, etc, have “bottomless” cups – whatever size cup of soft drink you get, you can get endless free refills.
The writers of Yes Minister must be very proud: “Something must be done. This is something, therefore we must do it.”
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Jenny September 14, 2012
Maybe some would call this kind of legislation “nanny-state” interference with our “rights” to have whatever we want, and for junkfood manufacturers and retailers to sell whatever people can be persuaded to buy. But I see this kind of legislation as not going far enough in trying to exert some kind of control over what, and how much, some people consume! In most highly civilized nations, too much junk food is cheap and readily available to all, and it is increasing all the time. This is resulting in far too many children and adults who are not just obese, but morbidly so. And they just keep on mindlessly eating this junk! I’m all for taking personal responsibility, but it’s obvious that there are a great number for whom this is simply not possible. If ‘big brother’ doesn’t rein in this ready availability of very poor dietary options then our health services are going to be seriously compromised even more than they already are. We are heading for a huge increase in Type 2 diabetes, as well as in heart problems, high blood-pressure with strokes, and premature death for many. The cost to the tax-paying community will be super-sized!
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susan September 17, 2012
When I’m happy I eat, when I’m sad I eat, when I’m tired I eat…why? This world of job and economic uncertainty is a scary place to be especially when raising a child alone, the one thing I can rely on to always be there is food. Alcohol, nicotine, prozac, cannabis? No thanks, food is my tranqiliser of choice. I bet I’m not the only one.
