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I don't see a problem with this. If they go after smokers they should go after the fat asses in this city.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...n/7009756.html
SAN ANTONIO — City Manager Sheryl Sculley has declared war on sugar.
Well, at least when it comes packaged in cans and candy bars. Sugary sodas no longer have a home in the city's 250 beverage vending machines and unhealthy foods in the 75 snack machines in city facilities are next.
“I asked the staff to remove the high-calorie soda drinks from our vending machines,” Sculley said. “I'm a fitness person, and I care about our employees, and I want them to be healthy. And I think this is a very small gesture.”
The new city policy is only for vending machines and doesn't ban employees from consuming fatty foods and drinks at work.
“But we don't have to promote it,” Sculley said.
Camille Miller, president and CEO of the Austin-based Texas Health Ins ute, a public policy think tank, said she's unaware of any other municipality that's adopted similar policies in the state. New York City has similar rules, she added.
‘Just good policy'
“My hat is off to a government employee saying that a government facility shouldn't make it easy for people to be unhealthy,” Miller said. “We know that whatever people have access to, that's what they're going to get when they're in a hurry.”
Making healthy items easily available is “just good policy,” she said.
The beverage machines now contain water, juices and diet drinks.
Sculley said the policy aligns with the city's wellness program, ins uted three years ago.
“We know that statistically that people who are overweight or obese have greater health problems than those who do not,” she said. “We're about educating community and we think we can lead by example.”
Purchasing Director Janie Cantu said her department is renegotiating the contract with the city's food vendor to ensure that products meet public school nutrition guidelines set by the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Smaller portion sizes
Those guidelines ban foods of minimal nutritional value, including sodas, popsicles and other “flavored ice,” chewing gum and certain candies.
They also limit portion sizes. Bags of chips, for example, can contain no more than 1.5 ounces.
“Ultimately, that is the goal — we'd like to see people choosing healthier options,” said Bryan Alsip, an assistant director of the Metro Health Department.
To help instill better habits, setting a policy can help, said Lisako McKyer, a professor in Texas A&M University's College of Education and Human Development.
She expects some resistance, but said such regulations can help the health and safety of society. She points to seat belt laws, restricted alcohol sales, smoking bans and sidewalk installations that all have shown to decrease injuries and deaths.
“Any time you want to ins ute a behavior change, policy changes are really quite effective,” she said.
The health department received a $15.6 million federal stimulus grant in March to fight obesity in San Antonio, known as one of the fattest cities in the country. Sculley launched the vending-machine initiative around the same time.
I don't see a problem with this. If they go after smokers they should go after the fat asses in this city.
I don't really see a problem with it ... it's not banned, so the diehard can still bring their own crap to eat if they HAVE to have it.
I wish we had better choices in the machines we have a work.
*shrugs*
Don't you see it? This is the woman of the house going on a diet and making everybody else in the household do it along with her
As SW already stated, as long as nothing is banned I don't really have a problem with it either.
With decisions like this...she is worth every penny of her salary!
Pffft, I bring my own snacks anyway.I don't really see a problem with it ... it's not banned, so the diehard can still bring their own crap to eat if they HAVE to have it.
I wish we had better choices in the machines we have a work.
*shrugs*
You had to go to Chron.com for this ?
Lollzzz
Does Sheryl Sculley have a hot body? I was wondering if her fitness diet is paying off.
meh
I don't drink sodas so I don't have a dog in this specific hunt but this is how the food police starts. It's how it started in California but then it doesn't stop. , didn't they just make it illegal to use lard in tortillas out there on the left coast?
Good for the City. I hope the same move has already happened in every school in San Antonio too.
The city of San Antonio also pays near 100% for city employee health plans.
Healthier employees = long term cost saving
and if the employees or people that have access to the vending machines don't like it, then let them bring their own 30 lb bag of doritos.
It's a good move.
I agree with this decision, good job.
Fight the fatties !
Tell me about itI don't really see a problem with it ... it's not banned, so the diehard can still bring their own crap to eat if they HAVE to have it.
I wish we had better choices in the machines we have a work.
*shrugs*
Every night i have to make sure to pack my healthy snacks for the next day
It's annoying (not a complicated thing to do, but I have to do it before I forget) but I have to do it
Sculley can kiss my fat ass.
food police. It's just gonna get worse.
But I'm sure they'd love to.
These employees should all be thankful she LETS them eat what they want
What is next....these?
If the city is buying, they can do whatever they want. Pretty sad the government can now protect us from ourselves and do it officially.
I don't see anything wrong with that.What is next....these?
No.
Only food bans I've been aware of here in California have been aimed at the use of artificial trans fats.
Me neither. I would love it if there were vending machines available with healthy options.
she must know all too well that the typical obese people of san antonio are just too mentally weak and undisciplined to make healthy decisions on their own. good for her but very small gesture indeed. i'm sure this will result in alot of city workers just stopping at the gas station on the way to work and loading up on a 42 oz fountain drink to replace their 2-3 sodas a day but you can only control so much i suppose. lots of work still to be done to get #7 in shape.
I'd rather enjoy my short life without another mother.
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