NEW YORK - Want to super-size that soda? Sorry, but in New YorkCity you could be out of luck.
In his latest effort to fight obesity in this era of Big Gulpsand triple bacon cheeseburgers, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposingan unprecedented ban on large servings of soda and other sugarydrinks at restaurants, delis, sports arenas and movie theaters.
Drinks would be limited to 16 ounces, which is considered a smallat many fast-food joints.
'The percentage of the population that is obese is skyrocketing,'Bloomberg said Thursday on MSNBC. He added: 'We've got to dosomething.'
It is the first time an American city has directly attempted tolimit soda portion sizes, and opponents again accused the three-term mayor of creating a 'nanny state' and robbing New Yorkers ofthe right to choose for themselves.
But city officials said they believe the plan - expected to winapproval from the Bloomberg-appointed Board of Health and takeeffect as soon as March - will ultimately prove popular and pushgovernments around the U.S. to adopt similar rules.
'We have a crisis of obesity,' said city Health CommissionerThomas Farley. 'People often go with the default choice, and if thedefault choice is something which is very unhealthy and is feedinginto that health crisis, it's appropriate for the government to say,'No, we think the default choice should be healthier.''
The soft drink industry responded with scathing criticism, evenas the administration said it felt certain the companies couldsimply trim back their offerings from 20-ounce bottles to 16-ouncebottles - reversing a trend that has been under way for decades. Inthe 1950s, McDonald's offered only one size for soft drinks: 7ounces, city officials said.
Coca-Cola called the ban an 'arbitrary mandate.'
'The people of New York City are much smarter than the New YorkCity Health Department believes,' the company said in a statement.'New Yorkers expect and deserve better than this. They can maketheir own choices about the beverages they purchase.'
The ban would apply only to sweetened drinks more than 16 ouncesthat contain more than 25 calories per 8 ounces. (A 12-ounce can ofCoke has about 140 calories.) It would not affect diet soda or anydrink that is at least half milk or milk substitute.
Nor would it apply to drinks sold in supermarkets or conveniencestores, unless those businesses primarily sell foods meant to beeaten right away. Businesses would face fines of $200 per failedinspection.
City officials said some calorie-heavy drinks such as StarbucksFrappuccinos would probably be exempt because of their dairycontent, while the Slurpees at 7-Eleven wouldn't be affected becausethe stores are regulated as groceries.
Bloomberg said people who want to guzzle more than 16 ounceswould still be free to order more than one drink. But he saidrestricting sodas to 16 ounces each could still help curbconsumption.
'You tend to eat all of the food in the container. If it'sbigger, you eat more. If somebody put a smaller glass or plate orbowl in front of you, you would eat less,' he said.
In announcing the proposal, health officials cited researchlinking sugary drinks to rising rates of obesity, diabetes and heartdisease.
'Sugar drinks are not the entire obesity epidemic, but they areuniquely, strongly associated with this rise in obesity over thelast 30 years,' Farley said. 'There's something about sugar water,as a product, which leads to long-term weight gain.'
At a Burger King in Manhattan, retired postal worker Bobby Browndidn't like the mayor's idea, saying people should be 'free tochoose what they drink or eat.'
But Joseph Alan, a chauffeur eating at a nearby Subway, said hisoverweight friends' eating habits ultimately affect him, too: 'Itell them, 'This is affecting our insurance, because charges go upmore treating people with diabetes and other health problems. Idon't want to pay more for health insurance so people have thesedrinks!''
Under Bloomberg, New York has campaigned aggressively againstobesity, outlawing trans fats in french fries and other restaurantfood and forcing chain restaurants to list calories on menus. Themayor has also led efforts to ban smoking in the city's bars,restaurants, parks and beaches.
His administration has tried other ways to discourage sodaconsumption. The mayor supported a state tax on sodas, but themeasure died in the Legislature, and he tried to restrict the use offood stamps to buy soda, an idea federal regulators rejected.
Mark Kalinowski, an analyst with Janney Capital Markets whocovers companies including McDonald's, said it is unlikely the banwill be enacted. 'Folks who want to buy Big Gulps and Frappuccinos,a lot of those customers, you're only going to be able to take itaway from them by prying it out of their cold, dead hands,' he said.
And if it does go into effect, he said, customers will probablyjust respond by ordering two drinks.
'Maybe the mayor can outlaw all soft drinks and outlaw all funwhile he's at it,' Kalinowski scoffed.
AP photo New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley,accompanied by Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services LindaGibbs, addresses a news conference at New Yorks City Hall, Thursday.New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposing a ban on the sale oflarge sodas and other sugary drinks in the citys restaurants, delisand movie theaters in the hopes of combating obesity, an expansionof his administrations efforts to encourage healthy behavior bylimiting residents choices.
AP Food Industry Writer Candice Choi and writers Karen Matthewsand Verena Dobnik contributed to this report.
