Health advocates in Maryland are working hard to get healthier beverages into the hands of residents, especially children. Early this year, a bill was introduced that would remove the sales tax on bottled water. Another bill is hoping to make beverages healthier for kids at restaurants. This bill would require restaurants that offer children’s menus to serve only water, low-fat milk or 100% juice as part of the bundled kids’ meal price—though parents would still be able to choose another option if they’d prefer. According to a newsletter from Prevent Obesity, a poll from OpinionWorks shows that nearly 70 percent of Marylanders (and 75 percent of Maryland parents) support legislation that limits the types of default beverages offered with kids meals to only healthy ...
One way to encourage folks to drink more water and fewer sugary drinks, many health professionals believe, is by removing taxes on bottled water. The Sugar Free Kids Maryland coalition is working to repeal the 6% sales tax on bottled water in the state. According to group, Maryland is one of only four states that taxes bottled water at a higher rate than other essentials like milk, eggs, and bread. The Water Affordability Act will be heard next week in the House and the Senate.
Get more information on the sales tax on bottled water in Maryland ...
How did smallish Berkeley, Calif., become the nation’s first city to pass a sugary drink tax in 2014, after many other cities had failed? People power! Local health advocates like Xavier Morales had long supported a tax on sugary drinks, believing the higher price would discourage consumption. Research studies indicate that such a decrease in consumption could potentially reduce obesity and diabetes rates, especially for Latino kids. Because Latino children are heavily targeted by sugary drink and junk food advertisements, this issue was especially important to Berkeley’s 11% Latino community. In the end, it took passionate advocates, a well-organized campaign for a sugary drink tax, and national attention to eventually bring sweet victory for public health advocates in ...
Latino kids drink more sugary drinks than their white peers, but campaigns promoting water over sugary drinks can help change this. One of the most recognizable nutrition campaigns across the country is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPlate graphic, which shows the recommended servings of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy. But what about encouraging water consumption? A group of scientists have come together to petition the USDA to add a circle for water on the MyPlate graphic. "Consumption of sugary beverages is the leading contributor to added sugar in the American diet," says Christina Hecht, senior policy adviser at the UC Nutrition Policy Institute and one of the water advocates, in a NPR article. "If people could make that one change to drink water to ...
Mexicans are guzzling fewer sugary drinks since a national sugary drink tax took effect one year ago, and U.S. health proponents say they hope this can help sway local voters to adopt similar measures, the International Business Times reports. Studies indicate raising the price of sugary drinks can reduce consumption and potentially lower obesity and health risks. U.S. Latino kids consume an above-average amount of sugary drinks (soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit-flavored drinks, and flavored milk), which contributes to increased rates of obesity, diabetes, and other health issues that disproportionately affect the Latino community. Mexico's sugary drink tax, a reaction to the country's large sugary drink intake (3.6 million cans of soda each day) and high diabetes rates ...
A health system in Oregon is the latest organization to kick-off 2015 sugary drink-free. Providence Health & Services will no longer sell or stock sugary drinks in Oregon hospitals and business offices as part of their healthy dining initiative. During the next two months, the drinks will be phased out at all eight of Providence's Oregon hospitals, clinics, and businesses offices, said Sandy Miller, the organization's director of Health and Nutrition, in a news article. The new healthier drink options include fruit-infused water, bottled water, seltzer water, sugar-free or diet drinks, milk, and 100-percent fruit and vegetable juices. According to Miller, regular soda will still be available by patient request in care areas and visitors can still bring their own beverages. ...
The phasing-out of sugary drinks at health care centers continues across the nation, but this particular hospital has been slowly testing the waters for years. At Hudson Hospital and Clinic in Hudson, WI, where Latinos make-up the largest minority group, they've been working to slowing eliminate all sugar and artificial sweeteners from drinks on campus since 2011. Now, at the start of 2015, hospital officials say the switch is complete and patients and staff are on board with the changes. Sparkling water, fruit juices, fruit-vegetable and herb-infused water, milk, coffee and tea are the new beverage options available to visitors, patients and staff. Folks seem to be embracing the changes; sales at the hospital café have remained constant since the change, said Nutrition Care ...
We are unveiling six new videos of #SaludHeroes who reduced surgary drinks and improved healthy marketing for Latino kids. Watch the videos, vote for your favorite, and be entered into a drawing for a free T-shirt and jump rope! The videos are: A no-soda resolution in Texas.
Water on every desk in California.
Schools swap out sugary drinks in Virginia.
Grocery stores tag healthy food in California.
Fresh marketing for a corner store in California.
L.A. corner store gets a marketing makeover. Vote for your favorite by Dec. 10, 2014. The video with the most votes gets a featured space on the new #SaludHeroes YouTube channel. See contest rules and more information here. The contest is directed by Salud America!, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program to ...
Hospital systems across the country are taking an inward look at how they promote health among their patients, employees, and visitors. Many health systems have begun removing unhealthy snack foods and sugary drinks from their campuses, and a health system in Minnesota is joining the ranks. Aligning with The Commons Health Hospital Challenge, Lakewood Health System announced a new beverage policy which includes the phase-out of soft drinks, energy and sports drinks and other sugary beverage sales and distribution. According to a press release, the policy was initiated in spring 2014 with an effective implementation date of October 1st, 2014. Lakewood Health System’s new alternative beverage menu will include flavored and infused water, sugar-alternative soda, and low calorie ...
