Super-Sized Soft Drinks Are Out!

Avatar for cmkristy
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2005
Super-Sized Soft Drinks Are Out!
Thu, 09-13-2012 - 11:38am

NEW YORK -- The vote is in, and super-sized soft drinks are out.




Wow!  I am a bit surprised that this ban was approved!  What do you think about it?  Agree or not?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-17-2003
Thu, 09-20-2012 - 6:16am


iVillage Member
Registered: 05-25-2004
Thu, 09-20-2012 - 2:48am

The issue of what size soft drink you buy is completely irrelevent. The fact that Mr. Mayor thinks he can limit one's freedom is the bigger issue to me. What's next? Only dessert-sized plates can be used in restaurants for the main course? Really tiny forks so you have to take more bites (and therefore more time and maybe you'll feel fuller)? Restuarants required to let you buy half a serving size (that a lot of us would actually like, but restaurants wouldn't)? Where does it end Mr. Mayor Bloomberg? Stores stop selling clothing over a size 10? No seats on subways so people will burn more calories standing? C'mon, if he thinks this will really affect obesity, he's one delusional dude, and, even worse, if the thinks he has the right to control everything in everyone's life, he's definitely living in the wrong country. Knock on the door. It's the pollice. "We need to check your cupboards and fridge for food that could make you fat." Seriously, folks, this law is just plain stupid.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-17-2003
Mon, 09-17-2012 - 3:12pm

Oh boy ......

Sorry but I didn't say soft drinks were the sole reason for obesity. Perhaps I was not clearer

Sorry, I didn't say you said this and I thought I made myself clear. Limiting the amount of soda a restaurant can serve you in one sitting isn't going ot have that much of an impact on one's health ... considering it's readily available through other means.

Just for the record, maybe you didn't mention obesity, but this is from the article we are discussing, ""The (obesity) epidemic is destroying the health of too many of our citizens & this new policy will begin to change that," Bloomberg tweeted Thursday."

I have no idea the rest of your post pertains to. lol ... All I said, is theoretically one could buy more alcohol then soda in a restaurant ... it's kind of ludicrous if you ask me.

Well, I suppose we could calculate all potential health risks we face everyday. But, for one, you haven't identified the one issue I did bring up ... soda is heavily and readily available to people ... aside from the big gulp and restaurants. AND, as I said, people can drink more alcohol then soda. How does that make sense to you? Do you want to discuss the health risks of consuming too much alcohol ... to themselves and others??

OK, we may as well end bungy jumping and limit the amount of red meat one can buy and consume ... anything else??

Too much sun is bad for us. Too little sun is bad for us ... should the government regulate that as well??

Personally, I think the toxic chemicals most people use to clean their homes pose a huge health risk. Maybe the government should limit what we are able to buy and tax the heck out of those who buy those nasty chemicals??

And yes, finally, how much does soda factor into the obesity rate in the country? What about fast food, convenient foods and fatty foods?? How about the lack of exercise and physical labor?? How about the increase in sedentary jobs and life styles?

btw, I don't believe anyone has argued whether or not soda is bad for you. just in case you missed my point ... a lot of things are bad for us. what gives the government the right to regulate that? and if they do, when does it stop??

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2009
Mon, 09-17-2012 - 1:42pm
Sorry but I didn't say soft drinks were the sole reason for obesity. Perhaps I was not clearer. There are however a contributing factor. Soft drinks are junk food, empty calories and the link between a poor diet, weight and health problems has been established. I am curious, what do you think is the causes for the obesity problem? All you have to do is look at the numbers. I pound of fat is about 3500 calories. Say a person has a big-gulp 7-Eleven coke (512 calories) 2 times a week, every week. After 1 year, they could have potentially gained 15.21 pounds just from the coke. Of course this assumes that they are not burning off that extra caloric intake. Calories intake from drinking does not fuel the body as long as the same amount of calories from a more complex food. Our body processes carbs faster than proteins and fats. In other words, people will get "hungrier" sooner and hence will potentially eat more empty calories. (A recent study here showed that you are better off eating an apple and drinking water than drinking the same amount of calories in juice). Even if one reduces the consummation to 1 drink a week, the potential gain is 7.61 lbs. Keep that up over several years and there is a problem because one does not get overweight overnight. It is a long term thing. For health people, who eat well and get exercise, an occasional can of coke (about 140 calories) is not going to hurt them. But soft drinks are not staples of a healthy diet. On the other side- burning that added fat off. It takes a lot to burn it off. A 175 lb person burns about 100 calories per mile walking. The person would have to walk 5.12 miles per week to burn 1 big-gulp drink off. A 125-lb person, it is about 71 calories per mile. She would have to walk 7.2 miles to burn it off. That’s a lot of walking for one high caloric drink with no nutritional value. So, 5 16-oz of soda (not the non-calorie) stuff is about 933 calories. Do that once a week, on top of a health diet, and you can potentially gain 13.9 lbs in a year. The person may not look overweight (many people can carry weight better than others) but it is certainly not healthy. If they are not gaining weight that means that their body can potentially be lacking important nutrients-not good for long term health. (And I wonder about the person's teeth. Those high sugar drinks promote the growth of bacteria in the month. ) Although it is true that those addicted to the stuff will buy the stuff no matter what, this is about starting a cultural shift towards more healthy and moderate consummation of snack foods- a win-win situation. People are NOT regulating their intake of these junk foods; people are getting fatter and fatter. We affected a cultural shift towards smoking here-no smoking in malls, restaurant, work places or car, with kids, heavily taxes, (I doubt they are only $9 a pack here), no advertisements, no displays in stores etc. They are behind the counter, stored in non-glass cabinets. You have to ask for them and show ID (must be 19+) to buy them. All this is coupled with education and help for those who want to quit. End result- you never see anyone smoking and the number of people starting to smoke has dropped significantly. And by the way, when I brought up this subject at supper last night, one of my kids said one word- diabetes. All these sugar-laden drinks play havoc with the body’s ability to process sugars.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-17-2003
Sun, 09-16-2012 - 5:52pm

I can't say it would bother me much, but I know many people who would become outraged. I also remember debates here on the subject of limiting drinks, intoxication and the responsibility of servers ..... and, if I remember correctly, there was quite a heated debate on the subject.

Either way, the same philosophy holds true, people will just go buy what they want. Limiting either in restaurants isn't going to change all that much, IMO.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-17-2003
Sun, 09-16-2012 - 11:10am

They are not suppose to serve alcohol to anyone that shows signs of being intoxicated. So, you can not in theory order as many alcoholic drinks as you want and you have to pay for every drink.

Right, showing signs of intoxication. Sorry, I didn't mean to imply anyone could order as much alcohol as they want. However, in  New York, one can, in theory, order more alcohol then soda.

Signs of intoxication are concrete ..... signs one will become obese from ordering too much soda is not. One person can have an alcohol beverage and become somewhat tipsy. One can order 5, 16 oz of sodas and never have a weight problem.

btw, I do not believe consumption of soda is the sole reason this country faces an obesity problem. Curbing soda consumption is not going to solve the problem, IMO. Sorry, I just don't get it. Ok, so I have water at the restaurant or one soda, and on the way home, buy a case of Coke ... all this doesn't add up to me.

And, in truth, if the government limited alcoholic consumption, to one 8 oz glass, or even one, 16 oz glass, in order to reduce the rate of DUI or drunk drivers on the road, that, IMO, would be a comparable analogy. I get the feeling though, many people would become outraged if the government decided to limit the amount of alcoholic beverages, by the ounce, one could buy in a restaurant.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-29-1999
Sat, 09-15-2012 - 2:15pm
I don't think the government should get involved with this type of personal choice.

That being said, I get frustrated with the size of drinks served at fast food restaurants. At some McDonald's around here a liter of soda is the standard size with their "value meals." I have at times, ordered one value meal, then gotten the other food as ala carte and then split the soda with one of my girls once we get home.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2009
Sat, 09-15-2012 - 12:12pm
If people have to pay for another drink of pop, they will think twice. Hitting the pocket book works. People can order as many drinks as they want to but their bill will add up. It is also psychological. Give people large portions and they will eat those large portions and ask for refills/ seconds. Reduce the portion size, use smaller plates or cups and people may ask for seconds and refills but they will still drink and eat less. I don't know how it is like where you live but restaurants and bars here are legal required to limit the consumption of alcohol of their patrons. They are not suppose to serve alcohol to anyone that shows signs of being intoxicated. So, you can not in theory order as many alcoholic drinks as you want and you have to pay for every drink.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-17-2003
Fri, 09-14-2012 - 10:42pm

OK .. I don't understand this. What is stopping people from buying several drinks if they want more then 16 oz? Will restaurants only serve one drink? Which, will make it  harder to buy a soda then it is to buy several alcoholic beverages?

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-1999
Fri, 09-14-2012 - 7:13pm
owaitress wrote:

I fail to see what role obesity has in national security issues. Please explain.

 Really? The latest studies show 2/3 of the adult population is obese and overweight. The number one reason why adults can't qualify for military service is obesity. That is indeed a national security problem.

 I see what you're saying, I wasn't looking at it from the perspective of people not qualifying for service.  All 3 of my sons have or are serving and the comment I get most often from other parents is "I'd never allow my child to enlist" so I'm looking at it from a somewhat different perspective.  One of my sons has always been a bit on the heavier side, so he had to drop 15 lbs to get into the army, but once he was in, all of the PT they do had him drop another 15 in the first 3 months he was there, and he's kept it off too.