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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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4-10-2011 @12:23AM Dani said... Why aren't they also banning diet drinks? Sure they have no calories or sugar, but the crap they put in them to make them taste decent contributes to obesity. This is ridiculous. Getting rid of soda machines in schools is one thing, but policing the diets of adults is taking things a bit too far. And on top of that they can't even control people properly because they are giving access to bottled water (which supposedly makes people fat because of the plastic), juice (which may have a lot of vitamin c but is loaded with sugar and calories), and diet sodas.
4-08-2011 @9:27PM Dennis said... I'm quite sure there are many fit individuals in Boston that appreciate a soda from time to time. Why is the government interfering with their freedoms? And since when is bottled water healthy? The plastic bottles contains harmful chemicals that leach into the water, the factories that produce the bottles pollute the environment, and the companies that produce the majority of bottled water engage in unfair business practices. As for fruit juices, while they may contain vitamins that soda does not, has just as many calories and is usually packaged in plastic bottles having the same health risks as bottled water.
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4-09-2011 @9:15PM Rebecca said... I believe they do it because they feel they can. Government at all levels in the US have shifted from representitives of the people to dictators of the people. The sheer lack of respect they show to "We the People" is disgusting!! People say if ya don't like em then don't vote for them and someone else will get voted in........Sad thing is that no matter who you vote in it seems that we end up replacing crap with crap. Once upon a time people aspired to be in politics to represent the people and to make a difference. Now it seems that politics is just a stepping stone to ones own personal agenda and we are all just collateral damage.
4-09-2011 @10:03PM Harold said... Food Nazi's have hoof and mouth disease, just like the fat lady in the white house.
4-09-2011 @2:59PM carol said... I dont mind the ban in schools if parents want thier kids drinking soda they can serve it at home,but i think its going to far banning soda from vending machines in public offices used by adults.
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4-09-2011 @9:49PM cmbluetick said... Why not raise the taxes on healthy foods. With these taxes the gov. can pay for the over weight. You are yelling huh. What is your problem. Why should your gov. not have some income to enforce your stupid food laws. Leave my food choices to me.
4-09-2011 @2:18PM Rebecca Lewis said... Where in the constitution does it even hint at this being the business of the govt. regarding what I eat or drink. Get your grubby mits off my freedoms and stick to business. I'll drink soda or tea or whatever I good and really feel like. Get a life or get out of office.
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4-09-2011 @7:11PM Sal said... I think we should ban PUBLIC SCHOOLS. All they do is waste money and develope liberals.
Please stop trying to tell me what to do. As far as I know we still have a bill of rights and I am free to make my own choices.
4-09-2011 @8:50PM Casey said... Sal, yes we do have some rights left but beware the republicans are stripping them away one by one --- enjoy while you can.
4-09-2011 @2:19PM jo said... STOP TAKING OUR RIGHTS AWAY !!!
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4-09-2011 @7:58PM drralc said... And if the corporation you worked for said that they would not have ANY vending machines, is that taking your rights away? What is wrong with you people? This legal entity chose to not allow soda on tis premises. It has every right to tell its employees and visitors what its rules are. Don't like them? Then don't work for that entity. Sounds pretty simple to me.
4-09-2011 @2:21PM ENRIQUE IGLESIAS said... When will we have to start going to the "State" Store for our allocated food; and the State "Bars" which will limit you to one beer... What a dopy solution to people who should have the will to do what they want; is this the "Freedon" that you want in the United States of America???
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4-09-2011 @2:25PM Mandi said... What the heck. I drank sugary sodas from time to time as a kid, not all the time, but definitely at public events. I am 28 years old now and prefer diet soda but every once and a while I want a coca cola or a dr pepper. Why can't you fat americans learn how to control your eating or control what your kids are consuming. Quit screwing up my world due to your gluttony.
I mean yes I would love to shove a plate of mashed potatoes covered in gravy with meatloaf on the side into my face every night, but it's not good for you. So here is what you do "DO NOT PUT IT IN YOUR MOUTH".
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4-09-2011 @2:48PM claude said... who says were not living in a dictatorship. frist they attacked smokers.then people who like salt in thier food now you cant drink coke or pepsi whats next dress codes and by the way if you say something that offends someone you can go to jail. i think i am going get in my car drive to boston city hall and open up a can of coke
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4-09-2011 @2:29PM Stan said... I don't understand how in the last 20/25 years most all of the food products have reduced this and reduced that but the people are still getting fatter, much fatter. I saw a woman and her son wheeling a grocery cart with 4 or 5 LARGE plastic bags full of soda pop cans and bottles. I would have guessed that the mother was all of 5' 2" weighed probably close to 250+ lbs. and the son was probaby 10 years old, maybe 5' tall and if he didn't weigh in the close to 150 lbs. Gee I wonder why these two are so over weight?? Probably the most exercise the mother gets was pushing the grocery cart into the store so they can replenish the pop supply so the kid can set on his FAT ASS and play a video game. The problem is that this isn't just a small segment of our population but more than half of the United States people.
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4-09-2011 @2:37PM Michael gifford said...
"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.
And who do people think pay for this? the obese are out of control, obviously, and since they're either unwilling or unable to do something about it...it's makes economic sense to take the choice out of their hands. If they were being responsible then it wouldn't happen. But when the obese act like children who have no concerns about how their choices affect others (i.e. in the wallet) then they are no longer worthy of having those particular choices. they've contributed to the choice being taken away...just like kids.
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4-09-2011 @2:45PM Paul Revere said... Sounds like its time for another Boston tea party. Throw that bum of a mayor out of office and get government out of peoples freedom of choice. Although health stats are probably accurate, they neglect to add that people in the U.S. are living longer lives than at any other time in history. Insurance companies who want to increase their profits while not giving anything back push for all of this garbage to reduce claims. Put this into your healthy diet you miserable excuse for a Mayor.....Bite Me!
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4-09-2011 @2:43PM Lisa said... That's really great, Boston.........That soda that you are boycotting is made in the USA!! Something that is very rare these days!!! How many people are you going to make unemployed with your selfish, stupid idea?????????
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4-09-2011 @2:49PM Louis said... Doesn't this country have enough problems to worry about except bullying the obese?
Let's get our asses out of the Middle East, get our economy off its knees, create jobs, and keep our homes instead of diverting our attention by focussing on the obese and making their lives even more difficult.
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4-09-2011 @2:50PM Jennifer said... I THINK IT'S B.S. These are grown people and it goes further than just removing it. I am a firefighter paramedic, I don't drink soda, but sometimes on a busy shift ,which i work 24 hrs at a time i need a quick punch of sugar and caffine to get you moving ,also what about people that may work around their who has HYPOglycimia (low blood sugar) and need a quick sugary drink before they have an diabetic attack.
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