Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Leading Medical Groups Issue Call To Arms Against Soda Industry Dubbing Sugary Drinks As 'Low-Hanging Fruit' In Obesity Wars
The New York Times: Two Top Medical Groups Call For Soda Taxes And Advertising Curbs On Sugary Drinks
Two of the country’s leading medical groups on Monday issued a call to arms against the soda industry, urging legislators and policymakers to embrace taxes, warning labels and advertising restrictions to deter young people from consuming the sugary beverages that are increasingly linked to the nation’s crisis of obesity and chronic disease. Describing sweetened drinks as “a grave health threat to children and adolescents,” the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association issued a set of bold policy recommendations they say are necessary to stem the epidemic of Type 2 diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and other diet-related illnesses responsible for tens of thousands of premature deaths and billions of dollars in annual health care costs. (Jacobs, 3/25)
The Hill: Health Groups Back Proposals Taxing Sugary Drinks, Limiting Marketing To Kids
“For children, the biggest source of added sugars often is not what they eat, it’s what they drink,” said Natalie Muth, a physician and lead author of the policy statement. "As a pediatrician, I am concerned that these sweetened drinks pose real — and preventable — risks to our children’s health, including tooth decay, diabetes, obesity and heart disease. We need broad public policy solutions to reduce children’s access to cheap sugary drinks.” (Hellmann, 3/25)
