New York City's Board of Health opened up a new, experimental front in the war on obesity Thursday, passing a rule banning sales of big sodas and other sugary drinks at restaurants, concession stands and other eateries.
The regulation, which was proposed in the spring by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and approved by panel of health experts after several months of review, puts a 475-millilitre (16-ounce) size limit on cups and bottles of non-diet soda, sweetened teas, and other calorie-packed beverages.
The ban will apply in fast-food joints, movie houses and Broadway theatres, workplace cafeterias, and most other places selling prepared food.
It doesn't cover beverages sold in supermarkets or most convenience stores.
The restaurant and beverage industries have assailed the plan as misguided. They say the city's health experts are exaggerating the role sugary beverages have played in making Americans fat.
One board member, Dr. Sixto R. Caro, abstained from voting. The other eight board members voted yes.
"I am still skeptical. This is not comprehensive enough," said Caro, a doctor of internal medicine who practises in Brooklyn and Manhattan.
Bloomberg and other advocates for the soda plan - who include a roster of doctors and such food figures as chef Jamie Oliver - see it as another pioneering step for public health.
After Thursday's vote, Bloomberg's official Twitter feed tweeted: "NYC's new sugary drink policy is the single biggest step any gov't has taken to curb (hash)obesity. It will help save lives."
The unprecedented regulation would follow other ambitious health moves on Bloomberg's watch. Some have proven to be national pacesetters, such as making chain restaurants post calorie counts prominently on their menus.
