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New York City bans big, sugary drinks in restaurants New York City is cracking down on the sale of supersized sodas and other sugary drinks in what is being celebrated by some as a groundbreaking attempt to curb obesity but condemned by others as a blatant intrusion into people's lives by a busybody mayor. Public health experts around the U.S. — and the restaurant and soft-drink industry — will be watching closely to see how it goes over among New Yorkers, a famously disputatious bunch. Barring any court action, the measure will take effect in March. The regulations, approved by the city's Board of Health, apply to any establishment with a food-service license, including fast-food places, delis, movie and Broadway theaters, the concession stands at Yankee Stadium and the pizzerias of Little Italy. They will be barred from serving sugary beverages in cups or bottles larger than 16 ounces (0.47 liters). No other U.S. city has gone so far as to restrict portion sizes at restaurants to fight weight gain. "We cannot continue to have our kids come down with diabetes at age 6," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "Nobody is banning anything," he added, noting that restaurant customers can still buy as much soda as they want, as long as they are willing to carry it in multiple containers. He said the inconvenience is well worth the potential public health benefits. Others, though, likened the ban to Prohibition. A recent New York Times poll showed that six in 10 New Yorkers opposed the restrictions. "It's a slippery slope. When does it stop? What comes next?" said Sebastian Lopez, a college student from Queens. The restrictions do not apply to supermarkets or most convenience stores, because such establishments are not subject to Board of Health regulation. And there are exceptions for beverages made mostly of milk or unsweetened fruit juice. Because convenience stores are exempt, the rules don't even apply to 7-Eleven's Big Gulp, even though the belly-busting serving of soda has become Exhibit A in the debate over Americans' eating habits. Some health experts said it isn't clear whether the ban will have any effect on obesity. But they said it might help usher in a change in attitude toward overeating, in the same way that many Americans have come to regard smoking as inconsiderate. "I feel to not act would really be criminal," said city Board of Health member Susan Klitzman. City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley called the rule "an historic step to address a major health problem of our time."
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