On March 11th, I was interviewed by WWOR/Channel 9 (NYC) about Mayor Bloomberg's ban on the sale of super-sized soft drinks. Although it was a much lengthier interview, only a sound byte was televised. Perhaps they will use the footage at a different time; in any case, here's my data. The legal issue of whether or not someone should be able to tell another individual what to eat or drink is one thing, but from a nutritional point of view I have a definite opinion.
(Click Read More for Question 1: What Do You Think Of Mayor Bloomberg's Ban? and Question 2: What Are Some Of The Negative Health Effects Of Soda?)
(Click Read More for Question 1: What Do You Think Of Mayor Bloomberg's Ban? and Question 2: What Are Some Of The Negative Health Effects Of Soda?)
Question 1: What Do You Think Of Mayor Bloomberg's Ban?
I actually support Mayor Bloomberg's ban. The last thing Americans need to consume are copious amounts of empty calories, such as those found in sugary soft drinks.
This is especially true in low income areas of NYC that may already be devoid of high quality food sources. I think the Mayor was trying to support these areas nutritionally with the ban. By withdrawing the availability of these super-size products, there is the opportunity for individuals to instead consume foods with a higher nutritional content, as opposed to sodas' empty calories.
I actually support Mayor Bloomberg's ban. The last thing Americans need to consume are copious amounts of empty calories, such as those found in sugary soft drinks.
This is especially true in low income areas of NYC that may already be devoid of high quality food sources. I think the Mayor was trying to support these areas nutritionally with the ban. By withdrawing the availability of these super-size products, there is the opportunity for individuals to instead consume foods with a higher nutritional content, as opposed to sodas' empty calories.
Question 2: What Are Some Of The Negative Health Effects Of Soda?
The sugar found in soft drinks can have a very negative impact on your health. There was a recent study published in the journal Diabetes Care. This study found that those people who drink 1-2 soft drinks a day were 26% more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who drink only one soft drink a month or, better yet, no soft drinks at all.
There were two reasons for this:
1 - The weight gain associated with all those calories. Obesity, of course, is a major contributing factor to Type 2 diabetes. There are 250 calories in a 16 ounce soft drink. If you're consuming two 42 ounce sodas a day -- and a supersize soda is minimally 42 ounces -- that's over 1,300 calories a day with no nutritional value at all.
2 - Soft drinks -- devoid of anything other than sugar and water -- give your body a sugar rush. This can lead to insulin resistance and high levels of inflammation in your system. So, overindulging in soda isn't just about the empty calories and weight gain.
There are a plethora of other studies circulating that support the Mayor's point of view: these link too much soda to increased bone loss, metabolic syndrome and heart attack.
There were two reasons for this:
1 - The weight gain associated with all those calories. Obesity, of course, is a major contributing factor to Type 2 diabetes. There are 250 calories in a 16 ounce soft drink. If you're consuming two 42 ounce sodas a day -- and a supersize soda is minimally 42 ounces -- that's over 1,300 calories a day with no nutritional value at all.
2 - Soft drinks -- devoid of anything other than sugar and water -- give your body a sugar rush. This can lead to insulin resistance and high levels of inflammation in your system. So, overindulging in soda isn't just about the empty calories and weight gain.
There are a plethora of other studies circulating that support the Mayor's point of view: these link too much soda to increased bone loss, metabolic syndrome and heart attack.
This is a terrible habit to start a child on!
By putting this ban into place now, I believe Mayor Bloomberg is trying to prevent the next generation from replaying the bad habits and associated negative health consequences that this generation has had to deal with.
Think about it from that perspective, not this one:
Think about it from that perspective, not this one:
