Anti-obesity fight moves to state legislatures, courts

This week's major anti-obesity initiatives have revolved around the youngest Americans, as doctors widely believe that overweight children are at a much higher risk of struggling with weight when they grow up. This situation has worried public health officials, as in addition to personal and social costs to obesity-related diabetes and heart disease, there is also a tremendous economic downside associated with them.

In the first case, California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA) stressed that the five bills that are currently in the works in the state legislature and aim to address skyrocketing obesity rates focus on drinks rather than food. The organization says that while unhealthy foods are often mentioned in anti-obesity campaigns, sugary drinks are increasingly becoming complicit in excess weight in both children and adults.

"When you realize that the average Californian drinks some 50 gallons of sweetened beverages and gulps down about 39 pounds of sugar every year, it's clear that any smart strategy to reduce our obesity problem has to also look at soda and sweetened beverage consumption," said CCPHA executive director Harold Goldstein.

Among the bills CCPHA highlighted (and sponsored) is the soda tax proposal. It was authored by Senator Dean Florez (D-Fresno) and provides for a levy of one penny for every teaspoon of sugar in a beverage, which would then be used to support childhood obesity prevention programs.

Another draft legislation, proposed by Assemblywoman Julia Brownley (D-Santa Monica), strengthens nutrition guidelines for the beverages served in childcare.

"Soda and other sweetened beverages have added an extra 175 calories a day to the average American's diet [and] have been the single greatest contributor to the obesity epidemic and a major contributor to rising diabetes rates," Goldstein further explained, adding that the legislative action underway shows that California's politicians understand this danger.

Elsewhere in the country, public health advocates are threatening to go to court to stop a major fast food chain from targeting children in their promotional practices.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has said it warned McDonalds over what it considers to be a "predatory" marketing practice that relies on including toys in Happy Meals.

CNN cited the CSPI's notice as claiming that this type of promotion violates state consumer protection laws in four states and the Di of Columbia. It also gives the fast food company 30 days to stop the practice in order to avoid a lawsuit.