Founder of the Hispanic Food Communications, registered dietitian and certified personal trainer, Sylvia Melendez-Klinger, demystifies the medical jargon of the recent article titled “Sugary Drinks Can Be Hard on Heart: Study”. Without fear-mongering or double-speak, Ms. Melendez-Klinger gives honesty advice about heart health and balanced nutrition that every American should consider.

Read the complete article in Hispanically Speaking News

Without high-handed government intervention or regressive taxation, Americans everywhere are making healthy lifestyle choices from the expanded offerings of low-calorie beverage from American beverage makers. American beverage makers are taking it one step further by funding health living and nutritional programs in Philadelphia and other American cities, like the recent $10 million pledge to support the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s obesity awareness program.

Read the complete letter to the editor at Philly.com

Most accept rules for safety, smoking, eating, but also worry about a ‘nanny state’

NORWALK, Conn., USA – March 20, 2012 – With a recent flood of new regulations or proposals aimed at governing lifestyle choices such as smoking, eating or cellphone use, is the United States in danger of becoming a “nanny state”?

According to a new Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll released today, most Americans remain ambivalent about the issue, agreeing that policies that aim to protect public health and safety are sometimes necessary, but believing as well that adults should take responsibility for their own actions, and consequences for health.

Eighty-one percent of respondents agreed and 33 percent strongly agreed that laws aimed at protecting public safety — for example, regulations around safe driving or childhood vaccinations — are important to keeping Americans safe.

More than three-quarters also agreed that such initiatives do actually work. But on the other hand, almost two-thirds (61 percent) worried that these same laws might be too coercive, impeding individual freedoms.

“The public is somewhat schizophrenic about laws and policies that are intended to improve health and safety and reduce injuries and accidents,” said Humphrey Taylor, chairman of The Harris Poll. “Most people favor many regulations that protect them but they worry about our becoming a ‘nanny state.’”

The poll released today quizzed respondents on 14 different policies, laws and programs intended to improve health and safety. Some of the findings include:
- 91 percent supported a ban on texting while driving, while 74 percent “strongly” supported this initiative.
- 70 percent support, 43 percent strongly support banning talking on cellphones while driving.
- 78 percent support, 34 percent strongly support requiring eating establishments to reveal nutritional information on menus.
- 86 percent support, 55 percent strongly support requiring the regular round of childhood
vaccinations (mumps, measles, whooping cough, tuberculosis and polio).
- 80 percent support, 58 percent strongly support banning smoking in restaurants and public
places.
- 76 percent opposed, 43 percent strongly opposed employers citing obesity as a reason not to hire.
- 65 percent opposed, 34 percent strongly opposed employers not hiring smokers.
- 62 percent against, 37 percent strongly against the taxing of sugar-sweetened soft drinks.

And even as they supported many individual initiatives aimed at protecting the public good, 81 percent of respondents agreed that individuals should take responsibility for their own actions and “be free to make their own decisions, even if they suffer as a result.” One expert stressed that a balance must be struck between maintaining both public health and individual freedoms.The poll included 2,211 U.S adults over age 18 surveyed online between Feb. 27-29, 2012, by Harris Interactive, one of the world’s leading custom market research firms. HealthDay is a leading producer and syndicator of health news.

The complete findings of the newest joint Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll are available here. HealthDay’s news report is available here. Full data on the poll and its methodology are available at Harris Interactive.

###

Mayor Michael Nutter’s “no new taxes” pledge may become another politician’s broken promise as the mayor ponders The Soda Tax, Part III. After twice being told by Philadelphians and the City Council alike that Philadelphia can ill afford the economic harm of this regressive tax, the mayor has said only, “We need to wait and see”.

Read the complete article in the Philadelphia Inquirer

For many local business owners, the cost of expanding the bottle bill outweighs the benefits. Paul Barber, owner of the Flying Rhino Café in Worcester expressed his concern over the additional costs associated with expanding the bottle bill. Barber believes that expanding the bottle bill would force business owners and consumers to “bear additional costs for an ineffective system.”

Read the full story by the Worcester Business Journal by clicking here.

A new study by Lehigh University suggests that obesity is a far more complex issue than Mayor Nutter has led on. The mayor has tried to justify previous attempts to pass a soda tax in Philadelphia by citing increasing obesity rates. However, the new study suggests that there are many factors contributing to obesity and taxing soda would do little to resolve the problem.

Read the full story by the Philadelphia Inquirer by clicking here.

Mayor Nutter’s refusal to accept CHOP funds may be an indication that he is ready to introduce a soda tax for the third time. In response to his decision, the mayor tweeted, “Taking money from Big Soda to fight obesity is like taking money from the NRA to fight guns. You can’t buy this City Hall.” New rationale for passing a soda tax appears to be the lack of funding for district schools.

Read the full story by Northeast Times Star by clicking here.

The City Council of Philadelphia reached a deal last night, but one that does not include the soda tax Mayor Nutter had proposed.  The Council will still be able to raise $53 million for the local school district but it will not come from the 2 cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages.  

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2011/06/16/philadelphia-city-council-set-to-pass-partial-bailout-of-the-school-district-of-philadelphia-without-mayor-nutters-proposed-soda-tax/#.Tfs9UVMb2RQ;twitter

Marc Rayfield discussed the controversial issue of the soda-tax on KYW 1060 this week. Following Wednesday’s rally, City Council was expected to return to discussing the budget, which, if Mayor Nutter has his way, would include $100 million in new taxes.

Rayfield blamed the massive budget problem on the Council’s inability to act efficiently in the past, and said their solution shouldn’t be to pressure Philadelphians by dangling all day kindergarten, transportation issues, and alternative school choices in front of them.

Nutter may be between “a rock and hard place,” but a very expensive, quick patch in a fragile economy does not have to be the answer for Philadelphians.

“Our school system is broken enough, for our elected and appointed leaders it’s finally time to develop a strategic action plan that provides a long term solution.”

Listen here: KYW 1060, Marc Rayfield

Some of Mayor Nutter’s own Council members are already declaring his tax proposal dead, Philly.com’s Troy Graham, Jeff Shields, and Kristen Graham reported.

“Both taxes are pretty much DOA,” said Councilman James F. Kenney, usually a Nutter ally.

Several members have met with the President of the Council to discuss how to mend the School District’s budget woes without considering more taxes.

While the Council plans to consider a vote on the soda tax Thursday, clearly certain members realize there can be a way to solve some of the city’s problems without taking money and jobs from hardworking Philadelphians.

Click here to read