Sugary drinks ban in New York City: Will it really work? by May May Leung

Senior Fellow, May May Leung, PhD, RD, is an assistant professor at the CUNY School of Public Health at Hunter College. Her research expertise includes the development and evaluation of innovative health communication and community-based interventions to prevent childhood obesity.

As you probably have heard by now, in May the mayor of New York City proposed a policy that would prohibit the selling of most sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces in certain foodservice establishments.  These establishments include delis, restaurants and even sports arenas and movie theaters.   The ban wouldn’t extend to grocery stores, convenience stores or vending machines, but carts on sidewalks and in Central Park would also be affected.

There is plenty of evidence that shows the consumption of sugary drinks and larger portion sizes are associated with the obesity epidemic.  However, there’s been much debate as to whether such a policy would actually be an effective way to address this epidemic, which affects over half of New Yorkers.