Baltimore becomes first major city to remove sugary drinks from kids' menus (NBC News)

Wednesday Jul 18th, 2018

Baltimore has become the first major city to prohibit restaurants from including sugary drinks on children's menus.

The measure, which went into effect on Wednesday, is intended to promote healthy habits in young children and their families by making the default kids' menu options water, milk and 100 percent fruit juices.

While the country as a whole is struggling with childhood obesity, the problem in Baltimore is particularly pronounced: One in three high school children is obese, and one in four children drinks one or more sodas a day, according to Baltimore Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen.

"The science is clear that a major contributor to childhood obesity is sugary drinks, and taking out these empty calories is one of the single biggest lifestyle changes that parents and children can make," Wen told NBC News.

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When I’ve asked experts about these approaches, it’s not that any of them are bad. It’s that they fall short. For instance, Leana Wen, the former health commissioner of Baltimore (and soon-to-be president of Planned Parenthood), said that the Support for Patients and Communities Act “is simply tinkering around the edges.”

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