RIP Mayor Bloomberg’s soft-drink initiative? Maybe not ...

Mere hours before it was to take effect, a judge reversed the proposed ban on the sale of jumbo sized soft drinks in New York. Wonder who paid him to “permanently” stop Mayor Bloomberg’s much-touted ban on drink sizes greater than 480ml in cinemas, sports stadiums and other public places. Never mind who paid the judge, whose interests could possibly be served by a soft drink size that openly boasts 64 ozs. (that’s 2 litres or close to 1/2 US gallon), 800 calories and almost 1/2 lb. (224g) of sugar?

Certainly none of the 6000 NY residents who die every year from complications of obesity or those suffering from diabetes - now estimated to be 1 in 8 New Yorkers!

But the good Mayor Bloomberg is undeterred by a small set-back, unfazed by claims that he is running a “nanny state.” During his 11 years in office his successful initiatives include obligatory posts of calorie counts in fast-food restaurants, bans on the use of artificial trans-fats and reduction in salt levels. NYC has successfully outlawed smoking in bars and offices, promotes breast-feeding over infant formula and last week, the Bloomberg administration announced a campaign to warn young people they risk hearing loss from cranked-up earphones. NYC is no stranger to defending its health-promotion measures in court either. But this time Bloomberg believes that the tide of public opinion is already turning and that voluntary adoption of his soft-drink initiative is underway.

"We are confident that we will win that (appeal), but while the legal case plays out, the conversation we started about the dangers of the portion sizes of sugary drinks has prompted many people ... to take action," he said. A few hours later, the city filed formal notice of its plan to appeal.

May the force be with you Michael Bloomberg!

Fruit and vegies will keep you smiling

Eggs, now fruit and vegetables ... and they just keep on coming. Here’s another study proving what should be entirely self-evident ... a high intake of fruit and vegetables can keep depression at bay. Seems to me that as long as somebody can dream up a research protocol to prove that what nature provided for us in the eat and drink department is far superior to the man-made versions, there’ll be more time and money wasted. 

The great pity of course is that research was never conducted along these lines before the food and beverage manufacturers became all-powerful and consumers so ill-equipped and disinclined to make the smart food and drink choices. Now it’s like Pandora trying to put the Spites back in the box! 

Case in point is the news that Mayor Bloomberg’s moves to restrict soda sales in delis, cinemas, sport stadiums and restaurants to 16 oz (480 ml) is stalled in a legal minefield with opponents saying the proposals are “stripping New Yorkers of their democratic rights.” Who needs more than 480 ml of sugar-containing, carbonated drink at a sitting anyway, or for that matter, any amount at any time? Meanwhile, the opponents to Bloomberg’s move include the NAACP, America's oldest and most august civil rights organisation who appears to receive funding from the likes of Coca-Cola. 

And across the Atlantic in the UK, proposals to tax soft drinks more heavily brings an equally outraged response from FDF (Food and Drink Federation) saying that any additional tax will hit the poorest families hardest when they can least afford it. Does it ever occur to these people that water as a drink can’t be beaten for thirst quenching ability and best of all, it’s absolutely free!

Pandora really doesn’t stand a chance!

Soft drinks are in the spotlight...

While walking early this morning, the picnic detritus after Australia Day celebrations brought to mind the initiatives aimed at cutting the consumption of soft drinks. Sadly this is shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted and particularly irritating is Coca-Cola’s holier than thou bleating about everybody “working together” to provide low-calorie options. Never mind that Coca-Cola penalises buyers by charging more for smaller quantities, puts vending machines in schools and other institutions and markets aggressively in developing nations with door-to-door sellers preying on the ignorant and ill-informed who think that a sugar drink is a healthy drink. All of that won’t go away in a hurry because it would drastically affect the bottom line of the company and good guys like New York’s Mayor Bloomberg, who has filed a lawsuit to ban jumbo-sized soft drinks, is a man with a difficult furrow to hoe. 

But whatever the industry might and might not be doing, the facts are clear: sugar-containing soft drinks are devoid of nutrition, fattening, do not quench thirst and are directly linked to depression and anxiety. Don’t wait until your kids have developed a taste for them. Don’t look to manufacturers, governments or public officials to do something - do it yourself. 

Your own diet during pregnancy has a huge bearing on the diet your child will favour. Wholefoods grown on healthy soil set taste-buds to appreciate subtle flavours of vegetables and fruit. Make sure your zinc status is adequate during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This ensures adequate taste sensation in your child, which means he’ll be less likely to reach for very sweet, salty or spicy food or drink. Breastfeed and offer only water when other drinks are required. 

Tell your children why you do what you do, why they eat and drink what they do and always set a good example! Explain that each can of soft-drink has seven teaspoonsful of sugar which is seven teaspoonsful more than they need to fuel their brain and body! Kids can understand a story simply told and that some particular foods and drinks aren’t for daily consumption. They can also be quite righteous in their avoidance so watch out for any infringements. 

They might even influence their peers! Think about that  ... a young, water-drinking, soft drink-avoiding, vending machine-boycotting peer-pressure group! Bring it on!