N.Y.C.'s mayor mocks Miss. law
A state with a high rate of obesity "says you can't do anything about it," Bloomberg scoffed.
NEW YORK - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Friday he was "shocked" when a judge invalidated an antiobesity law that would have blocked sales of supersize sodas, and he took a jab at Mississippi politicians for passing their own legislation to protect fattening food and drink.
"You gotta love it. In the state with the highest rate of obesity, they pass a law that says you can't do anything about it," Bloomberg said during his weekly radio interview. The mayor said the Southern state's action was "so inconceivable" that if someone wrote a movie about it, they'd never find a producer. "It would be so ridiculous."
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant is expected to sign the bill into law, prohibiting local lawmakers in what is officially the country's fattest state from doing what New York City has done. The so-called anti-Bloomberg law, which passed earlier this month, would forbid local governments from restricting portion sizes, requiring nutritional information on meals, and banning toys in meals aimed at children.
State Sen. Tony Smith, a Republican from Picayune, said he was spurred to push for the legislation after New York City's Board of Health in September passed the controversial soda law. Smith quickly drew support from the state's Hospitality and Restaurant Association, which said rules on food and drink sales would be punishing to businesses and their customers.
"The 'anti-Bloomberg' bill simply assures consumers freedom of choice on what food, what sizes of soft drinks, and which restaurants they want to patronize," Smith wrote in an editorial posted on his Facebook page, which also encouraged local governments to try alternatives to slimming down their constituents.
"Create community gardens to provide fresh fruits and vegetables," he suggested. "Help create more walking paths and bike trails." Smith also urged schools to mandate physical education and parks departments to offer or expand weight-loss programs.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 34.9 percent of adults in Mississippi are overweight or obese, the highest percentage in the nation. In New York, the percentage of overweight or obese adults is 24.5 percent. The slimmest state is Colorado, where the CDC says 20.7 percent of adults are overweight or obese.