A new poll of New York City residents finds them largely opposed to Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s proposal to ban large sized sodas:
NEW YORK – About half of New Yorkers say Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed ban of sugary drinks over 16 ounces from the city’s eateries is an example of government going too far, while 42 percent say it would be good health policy, according to a poll released Monday.
Of the 500 adults surveyed Sunday for the NY1-Marist poll, 53 percent said the proposal is a bad idea, while 42 percent praised the concept – which would make New York the first American city to so directly attempt to limit portion sizes in an attempt to fight obesity.
Forty-five percent of those polled said they think the ban would help people lose weight, while 52 percent said it wouldn’t make a difference. More than half the people surveyed said they never order a sugary drink large enough to be banned.
The pollsters contacted people at random on cell phones and land lines Sunday. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
Not overwhelming opposition, but certainly not support either. It’s good to see that, for the most part, the majority of New Yorkers are sane on this issue.
