Is the Banning of Soft Sweetened Drinks a Wise Decision - Research Paper Example

Is the banning of soft sweetened drinks a wise decision? Is the banning of soft sweetened drinks a wise decision?Well, as the government places public health first, some people consider the consumption of the sweet beverages a demand to fulfil their thirst. To them, health related problems do not count. However, as the Government handles the situation, this worries individuals who find the banning not beneficial. To some, they feel they have the right to choose what drink best suits their tastes. The proposal at hand, illegalizes the selling of any bottle of fluid with sugary beverage of more than 16 ounces.1Numerous reasons for the restriction surrounds the sodas’ businesses in New York City. As statistics show, Americans ingest approximately 55 billion liters of soda yearly, this add up to about 214 liters or 55 gallons per individual.2 This accounts for a large amount of sugary content consumed by one person considering the composition include high level of fructose corn syrup which not only is the top calories source but also the key cause of obesity. Lancet in his research on consumption of soda and childhood obesity demonstrated that: The 12 year olds who drank soft beverages regularly are usually overweight that those who don’t. Those that consume diet soda are indeed consuming poison, since diet soda compose of artificial sweeteners and not caloric sweeteners. They also do nothing to curb obesity, since diet soda and obesity are related in different ways .3 In the year 2010, USA researchers reported that 25,000 people who died were connected to sugary drinks; the beverages were linked with 133,000 victims died of diabetes, 6,000 victims died of cancer and 44,000 victims died of heart disease.4 Although industries involved in producing soft drinks would react against the Michael Bloomberg’s idea to impose a ban on sodas, with the belief that business is more important than the public’s health, they should however admit that a disease like obesity and diabetes is a key issue that not only affect their customers but the whole society at large. Bloomberg said that: Sugar-sweetened drinks are the leading cause of obesity which awareness simply isn’t enough anymore. When we are serious about fighting obesity then we have to be honest about it and courageous about how to tackle it. We believe it is reasonable and responsible to draw a conclusion.5 People’s freedom of choice is also affected. The society, a vehicle of tax of tax payers, who in return have to perform their duty, the score of it helping to cater for medical costs are liked with diseases like obesity, disability and overweight, not forgetting expenses in their diagnosis and treatment. Death may also be a repercussion. If any person becomes is a victim of disability, there is deficit in labor, thereby decrease in produce, as a result low income. The economy is negatively affected when some of its citizens become incapable of generating the required income. This shows that the reduction in sugary drink consumption, has an impact on a disease like obesity as it reduces costs related to medical health in New York. The public health. Sodas with more than 16 ounces contribute to the spread of obesity. The proposal do not prevent some individuals from consuming 15 sodas daily. However, it prevents them from purchasing a single drink that is larger than 16 ounces.7 It is not that fructose in and of itself that is bad, the massive doses of fructose people exposed to that causes trouble. Fructose, being opposed to glucose, may impose damage to the body due to the way it’s metabolized. The metabolism of fructose drops on the liver, which creates a number of waste products and toxins. Research has shown that the related risks of overweight and obesity can promote extra health conditions. The conditions may include coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, cancers, respiratory infections and gall bladder disease. While the national health aims at ensuring there is a decrease in obesity prevalence among the citizens, data indicates that that the condition is worsening. What makes it an issue is that most of the calories are from energy drinks, sodas and fruit drinks. The drinks don’t provide more nutrients as the regular diet. Sodas mostly add carbohydrates that contribute to people consuming small food nutrients. “Gain of health from the year 2000 - 2005 had so much decreased when compared to the years between 1995 and 200, the obesity rate had risen from 4% to 23%”8. Why health matters? Weight gain is subjected to influence the environment. Factors that play a role in being obese. In accordance to Centers for Disease prevention and control, a third of U.S. population are obese. The genes appear to be responsible for about 71% of the human weight. A research found that adults who have been adopted as children were much closer in weight to their biological parents than to their adoptive bread winners. The American Heart Association suggested that women limit their added sugar to no more than 100 calories daily, or approximately 5 full teaspoons of sugar. For a man, it’s about 160 calories per day, or about 8 teaspoons. This is slightly less than the amount found in a single 12 ounces of sugared drink. 10 These rules is not comprehensive, though it won’t affect grocery warehouses, therefore sodas will still be available. In addition it won’t affect groceries that are subject of state rule rather that the laws. Nejad said, “The lager soda ban will would affect the drinks with 50% less real fruit juice and full-flavored sodas and sport drinks only”11 All over the land, the studies has linked soda consumption to the increasing rate of obesity. In accordance with the New York City health department, the proposal will help the city to avoid gaining 2.3 million pounds yearly. If that will not be of satisfaction, they reduce the ounces limit further. If a person drinks a 21 ounce soda is forced to make it smaller by 5 ounces, this can save him or her about 15,000 calories a year. 12This means, a five pounds of fat will be avoided. In addition, a 20 year study followed that nearly twenty thousand people who consume sugary beverages daily are twice likely to get acquire type II Diabetes, which would increase instance of obesity and other health problems, which in return affects the long term economic health of New York City and the whole country at large. The ban will teach on the advantages of portion control. Prevention policy Policies of obesity prevention, have many ethical argues for and against them. The core ethical matters are ethical concern with the equality and the concern with one’s autonomy.13 Disagreements are present, too that which dimension that have priority and also justifiable for the regime policies to diminish the equality together with one dimension so as to increase. The obesity prevention policy is caters for fair distribution of things like income, health, expenses on food, and map access to diet food. However, it is seen that none of these are equitably distributed in the country. Inequalities exist in presence of different race, income group and geographic areas. People should care for their health. Public choice. People have the knowledge of the law. Though the freedom of choice exit, this proposal is much better when compared to the sense of government raising tax on the price of a bottle of soda. Take for instance the tobacco funs, the cigarettes price was raised from 2 dollars a pack to more than 10 dollars in various region. If Americans could have grasped the notion of moderation, the 2 dollars a pack would still be a current song in those areas. Even so, some New Yorkers still believe the decision to ban larger sodas is not wise. They are blinded with the fact that the full-flavored sodas has more negative nutritional benefits than there are positive ingredients. Although many see food sources as empty calories, McDonald’s contain some nutrition offsetting fat loads that soda industries cannot claim. Does the choice matter? Being a game the public choice rejects the concept of people in public level pursue of their own interest. It has partly for long considered agencies official as manipulated by power.14This makes the agencies benefit more from public goods and held weak by the majority. The agencies are expected to follow the law. Considering the theorist behind the public choice, the involved groups are prone than the tobacco and soda firms. It is however very hard to for health to dominate in health’s of the groups. Campaigns advocate proposals that can attract public support.155 Even when consumers argue that the regulation is arbitrary and interfere with the freedom to choose the beverages they buy, fact is that more and more children and youth purchase caffeinated drinks in large sizes making them both physiologically addictive and physically fatal. Eric Stice, Ph.D., a neuroscientist at the Oregon Research Institute who has used MRI scans established that: Sugar activates the same brain regions that are activated when a person consumes drugs like cocaine. In addition, Conason found that heavy users of sugar develop patience (needing more and more to feel the similar impact), a symptom of substance dependence.15 So, the soda intake being limited could be seen as most effective in certain circumstances because according to experiments carried out, individuals find satisfied with a smaller quantity. Which has been shown that people generally follow the serving size suggested, and that is what is being moderated, not one’s liberty of choice. The downsizing is a start to make people remind that obesity is an epidemic and something should be done Again, the choice of reducing the size of the drinks is to prevent obesity and create in consumers healthier eating attitudes. This means that the plan is trying to help people to get conscience about the risks of gaining weight and having health problems. If persons have the choice of choosing a big sized bottle probably they are not going to stop until they empty it, but if the sizes are smaller, consumers are going to learn to drink less. Those who drink sodas are also more likely to eat foods higher in calories and to be more sedentary than people who didn’t drink sodas. However, even when these lifestyle habits are factored out, people who drink sodas still eat worse. It is to my believing that the perception of American over consumption has to change for best. The policies Unhealthy food has become a part of many people’s day to day living, records shows that about 40% of adults surveyed by the Pew Research Center visit McDonald’s and related restaurant per week. Taylor noted that 60% of the 18-29 year-olds surveyed eat fast food at least once weekly. 16Citizens complained when that happened also, bringing up the whole slippery slope argument that it was just the first step toward a communist state. It is not true. Here are the facts: New York estimates about 5600 people die of obesity in a given year. Those deaths cost taxpayers four billion dollars in medical expenses. 34% of New Yorkers are overweight, and 22% are clinically obese. Obesity follows only smoking as the leading cause of death in New York. Sugary drinks are one of the leading causes of obesity.17 Nielsen dataset, composing of advertisements and home scans data panel, provide information of sales promotion expenditure and Gross Rating Points on weekly basis, for cable, syndicated and TV network in seven market regions from the year 2006 to the 2008.these areas include; Atlanta, New York, Seattle, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago, and Detroit. The Gross Rating Points is used to value the frequency of identifying a particular advertisement by the % of individuals reached over a given time period. For instance, when 10% of all households in a specific market area have watched a commercial 7 times a week the Gross Rating Point will be 70. Households contain data on product features such as flavor, package size and price.18 Related ethical problems The opponents of the ban, believe that the ban of large sodas might have negative impact on the selling since giant sodas usually have margin high on various products inclusive of fast food menu. This is argued that it would expose bottled sodas and beverages at various restaurants, theatres stadiums and streets, thereby dropping its revenue and cut on high gaining assets of their sales. At the end, it is not the wind of business while they sell small or medium instead of the large. The aim of reducing the size will be to control obesity rates and improve consumers’ appetite. Labors will be available to work in various economic sectors thereby more income, which eventually leads to a more healthy economy. A huge number of deaths each year are caused by drinking sugary drinks. The findings should push policy makers to reduce consumption of the sugary beverages, inclusive of taxation, campaigns involving mass media and decreasing availability of these sodas. Persons should drink fewer sugary beverages and encourage their family and friends to do the same. Specific policies make a more equal and fair distribution of one thing. While exacerbating the unequal distribution of another thing. Policy to increase taxes on sweetened-drinks have ethical aims. Since in order to have equality in sharing of health by preventing drinking of sugary beverages, this has led to exacerbating the unequal distribution of taxes on the low income group of citizens. The taxes take bigger share of income of lower income people. The defense of this objection one proponent stated, “Soda tax would help low income citizens by advising them to choose healthier beverages and through creating more stores and work in low-income neighborhoods. A tax is a public health policy that helps improve the quality of life for low-income individual. The estimate of parameters of the demand equation permits us to get how advertising, price, calorie and package size content affect consumers’ demand and CSDs choices. The consumers’ consumption of CSD could be affected by the policy of soda tax, which impose 0.01$ per each extra ounce of sugary drink, TV advertisement restriction, which impose absolute regime advertising bans, downsizing packs, where the 2 liter bottle is scarce and calories limited to about 12 ounces. Declines in the global taking of carbonated soft drinks were found to be approximately -6.3 percent,-15.4 percent,-15.5 percent and -15.8 percent for the ban tax adverts.19Extra research is required to access the rebound effect in terms of alternative drinks as substitute for CDSs usage has decline due to policies. Conclusion This essay not only provide the knowledge that obesity is a crucial problem for intelligent functioning in the New York community at large, but also with the opportunity to enhance logical reasoning abilities and get consciousness about the public health and consequences that affect Americans. Following the authority’s decision is the best way into the universe of wellness through diet, exercise, weight loss, proper eating, health and drinking habits. The future need to be free of such sugary diseases. People should be careful when it comes to freedom of choice. It is to my believing that the perception of American over consumption has to change for best. The proposal is indeed very beneficial. Notes 1. Michael,“Soda Industry Sues to Stop a Sales Ban on Big Drinks ” New York New times , May 1st 2014http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/nyregion/bloomberg-plans-a-ban-on-large-sugared-drinks.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 2. New York Times “Planning A Ban on Big Sizes Of Sugary Drinks”,17. 3.Michael,“Soda Industry Sues to Stop a Sales Ban on Big Drinks” New York New times , May 1st 2014http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/nyregion/bloomberg-plans-a-ban-on-large-sugared-drinks.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 4. Brownell, “The impact of food prices on consumption” A systematic review of research on the price elasticity of demand for food, American Journal of Public Health, 222. 5. New York Times , “New York edition.” Mayor Planning A Ban on Big Sizes Of Sugary Drinks,17. 6. Newscore,2. 7. Andreyeba, Long, Brownell, “The impact of food prices on consumption” A systematic review of research on the price elasticity of demand for food, American Journal of Public Health, 118. 8. Fort, “public health,” 295. 9. chan., 482. 10. Long, “food prices on consumption” A systematic review of research on the price elasticity of demand for food, American Journal of Public Health, 220. 11. Funk, Craighill, “Eating more enjoying less.”Pew Research Center,245 12. Conason, “Eating Mindfully”,Is abstinence the best treatment for sugar addiction?,17. 13. National Center for Health Statistics,”Prevalence of overweight and obesity” ,201. 14. Con “Super Size Me”, Samuel Goldwyn Films,45. 15. Eric, “presenters stice” ,May 1st 2014 http://www.foodaddictionsummit.org/presenters-stice.htm 16 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 988. 17. Psy, 66. 18. Newscore,2. 19. Michael,“Soda Industry Sues to Stop a Sales Ban on Big Drinks ” New York New times , May 1st 2014http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/nyregion/bloomberg-plans-a-ban-on-large-sugared-drinks.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 . Read More