New York City's Board of Health signaled strong support Tuesday for the mayor's plan to fight obesity by banning the sale of large, sugary beverages at local restaurants.
The proposal by Mayor Michael Bloomberg would prohibit licensed food service establishments in the city from using containers bigger than 16 ounces to serve high-calorie drinks like colas, lemonade and punch.
People would be free to buy another round, but restaurants couldn't serve the 20-ounce cups now so popular at fast food eateries, movie theaters, and food courts.
The proposal only needs to win approval from one government body to become law, the city's unelected board of health, and the panel took the first step toward making that happen Tuesday with a unanimous vote to begin a six-week public comment period.
A formal vote whether to approve the measure isn't scheduled to take place until Sept. 13, but several board members spoke strongly in favor of the proposed restriction. Some even wondered aloud why the city wasn't going further, and limiting portion sizes of other popular high-calorie foods.
One raised an objection to a proposed exemption for milk products, which would leave people free to continue enjoying big milkshakes. Another said he didn't like the idea that some restaurants could continue to offer people bottomless cups of soda, with free refills.
