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Boston's long-time mayor, Thomas M. Menino just made quenching the thirst of city-workers that much harder. According to The Boston Globe, Menino issued an executive order to phase out sugary drinks from all city property in an effort to curb rising obesity rates. So long non-diet sodas. Adios sweet tea. Arrivederci you sexy sports drinks, you.
City departments have six months to phase out the sinister sugary beverages in cafeterias, vending machines, concession stands and during city-run meetings. And just in case parched public workers aren't quite sure what constitutes a healthy beverage, the Boston Public Health Commission is applying the familiar red, yellow and green labels to drinks, and reinforced by nearby posters that say, "Stop. Rethink Your Drink. Go On Green."
According to a release from the Mayor's office, "red" beverages include non-diet sodas, sweetened ice teas, sports drinks, etc. Diet sodas and diet iced teas, 100 percent fruit juices and low calorie sports drinks qualify as "yellow" beverages, while "green" drinks mean bottled water, low fat milk or unsweetened soy milk. Mmmm. Unsweetened soy milk -- yum.
Boston's not alone in trying to combat obesity through mandated choices. Cities like San Francisco, San Antonio, Los Angeles County and New York City have also set standards to limit or prohibit the sale or distribution of unhealthy food -- including sugary drinks.
There's some proof this type of food policing works. Two years after the Boston Public Schools removed soda and unhealthy snacks from vending machines, data showed that overall consumption of sugary drinks decreased significantly.
Dr. Barbara Ferrer, executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission, said in the long term, the policy will decrease healthcare costs for Boston and will positively impact productivity.
Soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages account for up to 10 percent of total calories consumed in the U.S. diet, and are known to be major contributors to obesity. According to Ferrer's office, about 63 percent of black adults, 51 percent of Latino adults and 49 percent of white adult Boston residents are considered overweight or obese. What it boils down to is health care costs.
"Economists estimate that medical costs for an obese patient are about 42 percent higher a year than for a patient with a healthy weight," said Dr. Ferrer in the city's press release.
Which makes us wonder what's next? A ban on smokeless tobacco at Fenway? Doh! Wait...
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4-08-2011 @2:25PM Cindy said... "mandated choices"
Nice newspeak! The land of the Free, indeed.
Reply
4-09-2011 @4:58PM Jane said... Personally, I think this is a great idea and one that should be implemented all over the country.
There is no reason we need to drink soda. None. It provides no nutritional value and just makes our country one that is full of fat and unhealthy citizens, which is the reason our healthcare costs are out of control.
It amazes me the number of people in this country who have no problem controlling abortion or gay marriage, but get angry when the government wants to take charge and try to reverse problems that actually affect every single one of us.
If you want to fix the healthcare problems in this country, it starts by education and example. If our kids are constantly bombarded by this garbage everywhere they go, they think it's okay and in turn teach their kids the same. It's a vicious cycle that can only be fixed by small moves like this, which hopefully turn into downright bans.
Call me a socialist or a tree hugging liberal, I don't care. You can spend your time trying to force people to do things that don't affect you or you can worry about an issue that is a real problem for this country, that's up to you. I hope a day comes when soda and sugary junkfood is only a memory. We'll all be better off for it.
4-09-2011 @6:04PM Sam said... Oh Jane ... YIB, where do I start. Sugary drinks and junk food are not the problem. Drinking and eating too many of them along with lack of exercise is the problem. Sugar and fat are delights and only become a problem if you are a lazy glutton. It is apparent that you do not care what people call you. If so, you would think and speak about things from a proper perspective. More important than having our delights, is the freedom to have them. You and all the commie political jerk wads who want to legislate my life and habits can hover over my bathtub bubbles. You all make me sick and you will not have your way. Why don't you figure out a way to entice your fat little children to go outside, play, and burn some calories? Leave me to my Coke and Snickers bar, thank you very much.
4-09-2011 @6:35PM Jose said... Jane, dear, anything done in moderation is fine. If you don't want to drink soda...then don't drink soda. But please don't try to pontificate to me what I should drink. I'm glad the mayor of America's most racist city is tackling such a major problem such as soda. Are you kidding me?
4-09-2011 @7:45PM drralc said... I don't know if I agree with Jane, but then my wholly Republican small suburban town just banned smoking in public parks. I know for sure I absolutely don't agree with Sam though. Sam, you are entitled to do anything you want, anywhere you want, but just NOT on city property. Get the difference here? A city is an entity, a lot like a corporation; it can apply any rules it wants to apply for its own jurisdiction, and the city of Boston says no sales of soda on city property. If you want to buy soda at the store that is not on city property, no one is stopping you from doing it. Same thing in my small town: want to smoke till you choke and die? Go right ahead, you just can't do it on city property. So do whatever you want in your own home but you have limited rights on city property ---- that is not yours.
4-09-2011 @9:32PM Kalista said... Let me get this straight, sodas are not allowed due to obesity but it's ok to drink bottled water. Is that bottled water in plastic containers? You know that kind that is non-biodegradeable? Makes sense to me, take care of yourself but destroy mother earth.
4-09-2011 @9:36PM Art said... Just another braindead liberal attempt to show the people that we are all much too stupid to make any decions on our own. The government must control our lives. PLEASE America - VOTE OUT EVERY LIBERAL NOW IN OFFICE!!!!! There's still time to save our freedom!!!
4-10-2011 @12:26AM Frank said... " Mandated Choices " Mao Tse Tung would have "embraced" that term. Americans, If we continue to allow our politicians to corrupt the U S Constitution this way, God help Us... ( That ending will give the athiests some ammo to fire at me, He, He, He ) I spent my time in Hell, " If you value your freedom, Thank a Veteran "
4-10-2011 @12:34AM alex said... this is outrageous America land of the free its a joke i hope the people of Boston vote these commie bastards out of office. what's next they're gonna tell us what car to drive or what restaurant we can eat at. if the idiots that passed this law are fat morons that cant make a decision for themselves to stop after drinking 5 or 6 sodas doesn't mean that everyone cant.
4-10-2011 @2:17AM Anne said... Jane, how about we keep the soda and ditch abortion which is murder you Kook.
4-10-2011 @3:45AM chickie said... The Liberals care nothing about being free, obesity, sugar, you, me, country, etc. They DO care about making a statement and flexing their immature and underdeveloped muscle.
4-10-2011 @6:18AM john said... Welcome to Fascism USA
4-13-2011 @8:47PM Dee Montanon said... Your an ass.........you can't forcefully control human behavior, study history...it didn't work for the socialists, communists or the absolutists. Human behavior changes because it wants to not because you force it on them.
4-13-2011 @8:47PM Dee Montanon said... Your an ass.........you can't forcefully control human behavior, study history...it didn't work for the socialists, communists or the absolutists. Human behavior changes because it wants to not because you force it on them.
4-08-2011 @9:37PM Mike W. said... Well, 100% juice has as much sugar as "sugary" drinks anyway. So, if it's sugar you're against, juice shouldn't be sold either.
Reply
4-09-2011 @3:48PM Rich said... You are so right. Bosto should marry San Francisco (which I hear is legal out there) and commit suicide together and spare our country their burden.
4-09-2011 @4:03PM John F.C. Taylor said... Don't know where you get your info, but you're wrong. Any juice that is nothing, but juice has far less natural sugar than any juice drink or other drink that is less than 100% natural with no added sweetners.
4-09-2011 @8:13PM Cathy said... Ever try eating pizza without a cold soda? Er....I mean....oops......not supposed to be eating pizza either I guess. How about everybody getting off their ever widening butts and take the kids outside for a ballgame instead of letting their muscles waste away sitting in front of video games and the computer? When I was a kid we were outside all day playing. None of us were obese. This is getting out of control, folks. Don't smoke, don't drink soda....how about flapping your lips a little more about alcohol? Because the majority rules, that's why. I have yet to see a small child mowed over because the driver of the car od'd on cola.
4-09-2011 @8:40PM Harry said... You are right on Mike, I am diabetic and a nice cold glass of orange juice would taste great but it is a major no no for me.
4-10-2011 @2:31PM Shelly said... Often 100% natural juice has more sugar than soda. Sugar is usually the main component of what makes a fruit what it is. I'm very surprised so many people do not know this. I can not think of a type of fruit ( That people like to eat or drink) that is not mostly sugar. By nature fruit is mostly sugar. Dentist always recommend brushing your teeth right after eating an apple, orange or just about any fruit. The reason is fruit contains a massive amount of sugar by percentage of the volume of the fruit.