Soda Ban: The Facts, Astroturfed

FROM MAH COLD DEAD HANDS!!

Big Soda has dropped some of their loose pocket change to set up a website to influence the voting public on a topic they can't actually vote on, so it's interesting to delve into what exactly they're getting at. Let's take a look at the "facts" as they see them, shall we?:

What beverages would be banned? The mayor is proposing a ban on the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages over 16 ounces in restaurants, movie theaters, sports venues, coffee shops, pizza shops, delis, food trucks or carts. This restriction would apply to both fountain and bottled beverages and include beverages like soda, sweetened coffee drinks and teas, juice drinks and sports drinks.

The correct answer is, "No beverages would be banned." It's a serving-size issue for the most caloric, nutritionally-void drinks. While juice and sports drink have a patina of nutritional value, the bottom line is they are as full of empty calories just like Mountain Spew and Croaka Cola.

I coulda been a contendah....for wacky pack copy-writing.

What beverages are exempt from the restriction? Diet sodas or any other calorie-free drink would be exempt from the restriction along with any drink that is at least half milk or half milk substitute.

So now it's a "restriction" and not a ban. Basically, the whole wide world of non-sugared drinks are unaffected. But if you're a sugar-addict (or a share holder in Big Sugar), that doesn't mean much.

Does the restriction apply to free refills at restaurants? No, it doesn’t. Consumers could refill a beverage at a restaurant as many times as they want.

So much for being a "ban" or much of "restriction", for that matter. There is also nothing stopping anyone from buying multiple sodas, not just freebies, but making this point fully clear would be too, uh, honest and factual.

Drink in the Freedom.

Does the restriction apply to beverages sold at grocery stores? This proposal would apply to all restaurants/food locations which require a health inspection report. People can still purchase sodas, juice drinks, sports drinks and sugar-sweetened teas in sizes larger than 16 ounces at the grocery store.

If you want to be a disgusting glutton that people stare at and cluck their tongues at, you still can be...at the grocery store.

Are sugar-sweetened beverages the cause of obesity? No, calories from all foods count. From 1999 to 2010, full-calorie soda sales declined 12.5% while obesity rates went up. According to the CDC, added sugars consumed from sugar sweetened beverages are down 39% thanks in part to more low- and zero-calorie choices. Restrictions that target a specific size of beverage will do nothing to change behaviors or teach people about a healthy lifestyle. Only education, diet and exercise can do that.

Oy. Sure, calories from all food count, but between the addictive nature of sugar and the fact that it is nutritionally void, it is sugar that is the most expendable, if we need to cut calories. Sales might be going down in sugared soda, but consumption of sugar is still up, due to our increase in all calories since the 70s.

The most galling statement here is "Restrictions that target a specific size of beverage will do nothing to change behaviors or teach people about a healthy lifestyle."  To say that rules, restrictions and laws do nothing to change behavior is a flat-out anti-gubbermint lie. "Only education, diet and exercise can do that," is just another variation of the McDonald's Defense: it's a personal responsibility, it's on you to care for yourself, we're just an innocent party over here. If our product sickens you, then stop using it. No addictive qualities here, no compulsion through repetitive media exposure, just move along, thank you!

No, continue eating 68 sugar packets. You will not get fat. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Will the beverage restriction have an impact on obesity rates in New York City? No. While New Yorkers would be limited to 16-ounce beverages, they would still be able to indulge in other high calorie foods. According to government data, sugar-sweetened beverages like sodas, juice drinks, sports drinks and teas account for only 7% of calories in the average American diet. With 93% of calories coming from other foods and beverages, it’s time to look at the bigger picture—diet and exercise.

That is one incredibly certain "no," when there is no test case or study, and throwing out random statistics that don't really bear any weight on the issue doesn't help. The assumption is that people will eat the same number of calories regardless of restrictions (because we are all wild animals with no sense of shame) so why bother.  I don't think the restrictions will impact NYC's obesity because it doesn't go far enough, but I really don't know. That the message, "these drinks are too large" will become a more normalized part of the noise cloud of culture is fantastic.

The bigger picture is not to put all the responsibility on the individual -- the bigger picture is to start targeting habits that are aided and abetted by non-individuals. Corporations may be "people", but they ain't individuals.

And they have a strict diet of Soylent Green.

Will I be able to vote on this proposal? No. The mayor is only required to get approval from the NYC Department of Health to make this restriction a reality. However, public hearings will be held. Join New Yorkers for Beverage Choices to stay up to date on all of the latest developments along with information on how you can make your voice heard.

This underlines the importance of this 16-oz restriction is to the Soda Industry: it is the tip of the spear, so let's shut this conversation down before they figure out perhaps unrestricted access to addicting high-profit products are not in the consumer's best interest. Well,  according to the latest news on the website, the public hearing happened, and the public spoke. And the public agrees with the "ban" was suppressed by the evil gubbermint bureaucracy:

“The one and only public hearing about the proposed ban came and went, and many businesses that would be impacted were unable to voice their opinions because of the inconvenient time and location – in Long Island City in the middle of the business day,” said Coalition spokesperson Eliot Hoff. “Whether or not city officials are listening to New Yorkers on this issue, we are still out on the streets educating people and businesses about the impact and encouraging them to stand up and make their opinions known.”

Stand up and make their opinions known, as long as it is in line with the bottom of line of Big Soda. Astroturfing at it's finest!

Astroturfing is a form of advocacy in support of a political, organizational, or corporate agenda, designed to give the appearance of a "grassroots" movement. The goal of such campaigns is to disguise the efforts of a political or commercial entity as an independent public reaction to another political entity—a politician, political group, product, service or event. The term is a derivation of AstroTurf, a brand of synthetic carpeting designed to look like natural grass.

 Tomorrow, we jump to the defense of sugar, dispelling the myth that sugar causes diabetes. FBIWC: Fair and Balanced.

THE COUNT: 2345
Took Edie up to Tarrytown to visit a friend, her kids and their suburban public pool. Eating was an afterthought, and I didn't object when she brought us to the Golden Arches -- I would know exactly how many calories I was taking in.

On the opposite end, the whole wheat pasta dish was again assembled from fresh CSA vegetables just picked from the ground this morning.

AM SNACK: 6:30am, iced green tea, 25 cal

BREAKFAST: 8:15am, fruit smoothie, 350 cal

AM SNACK: 11am, momma salad, 100 cal

LUNCH: 3:45pm, quarter pounder, fries, diet coke, 890 cal

DINNER: 7:30pm, whole wheat fusilli with tomato, eggplant, pepper & herbs, +/-800 cal
Did measure this meal, but didn't feel like finishing it. Measured out at 985, bringing to the upper limit of my budget...

EVENING SNACK: 8:30pm, dark chocolate, 160 cal