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As a consumer the choice is given at almost every restaurant: drink a free healthy beverage or pay a few extra bucks for a drink that can cause health problems over time.

New York’s effort to enforce laws banning drinks high in sugar will be a waste of time. The government should not make the decision for the consumer on what to eat or drink; individuals should make the healthy choice for themselves and their family.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “In 2009–2010, over 78 million U.S. adults and about 12.5 million U.S. children and adolescents were obese. Almost 41 million women and more than 37 million men aged 20 and over were obese in 2009–2010.”

Consumers have been told repeatedly how bad drinks high in sugar are, and as a result have seen the consequences of unhealthy choices made by family members or friends suffering from obesity and diseases like diabetes or heart problems. Obesity is a serious problem in the U.S. but people continue to buy fattening foods and drinks.

Individuals are the ones to choose how they want to live their lives. “If the consumer can be influenced with comprehensible nutrition information and a variety of healthy food choices, perhaps individuals can begin to address weight gain on a personal level,” explains The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

If New York decides to ban drinks high in sugar, it should also ban foods high in fat especially since the state has a high percentage of obesity. According to the New York State Health Department, “Based on self-reported height and weight, 60 percent of adults in New York State are either overweight or obese.”

What the government should do is provide better health education for Americans. People will gain more by being taught about what they should eat and how to exercise.  According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “The health care professional, in assuming such a role, can transform their interaction on this topic from clinical resolution to thoughtful prevention, thus helping consumers develop and reinforce strategies for eating and physical activity that reduce overall individual health care risk.”

Or, the government can improve the environment especially since New York is one of the largest metropolitan cities in the world. The environment plays a part in the choices made by the people. “People may make decisions based on their environment or community,” the CDC explains. “For example, a person may choose not to walk to the store or to work because of a lack of sidewalks. Therefore, it is important to create environments in these locations that make it easier to engage in physical activity and eat a healthy diet.” Therefore, Americans living in a better environment would be compelled to make healthier choices.

So, next time as a consumer, choose water.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db82.pdf

http://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/obesity/statistics_and_impact/

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/1/259S.full

https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/causes/index.html

 

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