Newswise — CHICAGO - New York City has announced plans to
ban the sale of sodas and other sugary beverages larger than 16 ounces
in restaurants and entertainment venues. The Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) encourages
consumers to be aware of how all beverages fit into their healthful
daily eating plan.
“The Academy supports strategies designed to
encourage people to make healthful food choices,” said registered
dietitian and Academy President Sylvia Escott-Stump. “To date, most bans
and taxations like the New York proposal are based on theoretical
models. There is conflicting research on whether these programs actually
result in behavior change that leads to positive health outcomes.”
Escott-Stump
added: “As a science-based organization, the Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics believes there must be an evaluation component to these
programs. We need to measure behavior changes across the population as a
result of the program. Then, we can determine if the changes are
long-term and whether they contribute to a reduction of chronic diseases
like obesity and diabetes.”
The Academy has convened a working
group to examine the effectiveness of measures like proposed bans and
taxes that are designed to influence consumers’ purchases and their
potential impact on people’s health.
“Even after we have more
science-based information about measures like New York’s, it is vital
that we as registered dietitians educate consumers about the components
of a healthful eating plan and help people make informed decisions that
will positively affect their health,” Escott-Stump said.
The 2010
Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage consumers to reduce their
consumption of foods and beverages with added sugars and replace them
with more healthful options like water, moderate servings of 100-percent
fruit juice and low-fat or fat-free milk and milk alternatives.
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