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Changes in the New York city restaurant environment
Approach: The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, which has jurisdiction over 24,000 restaurants, has used its regulatory authority to both limit unhealthy foods and help consumers make healthier choices.
Results: In 2006, the Board of Health passed an amendment to the New York City Health Code restricting the use of trans fat in all restaurants. Two years later, in 2008, a health code amendment requiring that chain restaurants with 15 or more locations nationally post calorie information on menus and menu boards took effect. And in 2013, the size of sugary drinks offered in restaurants will be limited to 16 ounces. There is also a voluntary effort underway to reduce sodium in popular restaurant offerings. These efforts, along with others from jurisdictions across the country, have resulted in reformulations of menu items, promotions of lower-calorie items, and a platform for a national discussion on the marketing of foods.
Discussion: This presentation will explain the rationale for creating specific regulations in restaurants to address obesity and other diet-related diseases, and the results to date
Learning Areas:
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelinesPublic health or related public policy
Learning Objectives:
Discuss the importance of both increasing and restricting food access as a way of improving health
Identify those policies that begin locally but swell to national importance
Keyword(s): Obesity, Disease Prevention
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a NYC government employee during the development and evaluation of these food policies. Any grants supporting the work are either State, Federal or RWJF.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.