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Sugar Warning Posters Proposed For NYC Restaurants
By
Nell Casey
Published Mar 9, 2016
Modified Mar 9, 2016
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Marcos Mesa Sam Wordley/Shutterstock
By
Nell Casey
Published Mar 9, 2016
Modified Mar 9, 2016
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Since foods with a high glycemic index may up your chances for lung cancer, among many other ailments, perhaps it's finally time to think a little bit more critically about that Pepsi-a-day habit. At least that's part of the thinking by one city council member, who has proposed warning posters at restaurants that would explain the dangers of high sugar and carbohydrate content in dishes. Because this type of signage has been so successful in the past...
The proposed legislation comes from Inez Barron, a Brooklyn Democrat, who explains that the city has an "obligation" to tell city residents about hidden food dangers, "just as we know that when people see calorie counts they have the ability to make an informed decision," she told Politico New York. The city Health Department says it's mulling over the move, pointing to stats that show that one-in-five New Yorkers are pre-diabetic and an estimated 700,000 currently have diabetes.
Of course, there's already uproar from the National Restaurant Association, among others, who've already fought hard against similar proposals regarding salt content. "New York City has changed nanny state from a noun to a verb," NRA spokesperson Christin Fernandez told Politico. "This is 'nanny stating' at its very worst...a poster on a wall is no way to improve public health." Ain't that the truth.
Update The Health Department issued the following statement regarding the proposed legislation: "As diabetes is a growing concern in New York City, especially in communities of color, Council Member Barron’s concern is admirable. We are currently reviewing the bill."
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City Council
diabetes
doh
inez barron
sugar
warning labels
Nell Casey
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