New York, NY —
Mayor Bloomberg and city health officials have banned trans fats and mandated calorie postings in chain restaurants. But a new report is calling for an even greater effort to fight obesity.
The Public Health Association of New York City and the CUNY Campaign Against Diabetes have released what they call "An Action Plan for Reducing the Promotion and Accessibility of Unhealthy Food."
Recommendations for the city and state include: Using zoning laws to reduce the number of fast-food restaurants in high obesity neighborhoods; policing deceptive health claims in food advertising; and taxing unhealthy foods such as sweetened soda.
A city health official says the city is in the process of considering several of the proposals, but many of them are under federal authority, not local. Restaurant trade groups have long maintained that consumers are provided a range of options and should be trusted to make their own decisions.