New York City is hoping that a shocking new ad campaign will help scare people out of dietary habits that can lead to obesity. According to Reuters, one ad even features a diabetic man who lost his legs to amputation surrounded by cups of soda.
“These are hard-hitting images because we really felt we need to drive home a point that large portions are not completely benign,” said city health commissioner Thomas Farley, who said the shocking ads are needed to improve public health.
The ad campaign has already made headlines for its use of grotesque images, such as people gulping down large globs of fat from frosty glasses. Below the advertisement, the city’s health department warns against large portion sizes, which they say have grown over time in the food and restaurant industries. Eating such portions on a continued basis leads to obesity and type 2 diabetes, and eventually even amputations.
“Cut Your Portions, Cut Your Risk,” the tagline says.
But not everyone is happy with the picture the ad campaign is painting. The American Beverage Association released a critical statement regarding New York City’s characterization of soft drinks, saying the campaign is creating an “inaccurate picture” of the consequences of drinking soda.
