Requires chain restaurants to label menu items that have a high content of added sugars

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

• Democratic13

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Gustavo Rivera says this is needed

The United States Department of Agriculture's most recent Dietary Guide- lines for Americans, 2020-2025 show that adults and children in every age group (2-60+ years) regularly exceed the daily limit for consumption of added sugars. Sugar-sweetened beverages-soda, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, flavored milk, and sweetened coffee-are the lead- ing source of intake (24%), followed closely by desserts and sweet snacks (19%). Meals sold at fast food restaurants can have a substantial impact on our diet, as they regularly serve more than one in three adults on a given day. These meals regularly approach or exceed the recommended limit of added sugars that a person should consume in an entire day, with most "small" size fountain drinks containing a full day's worth of added sugars (>50g), making it nearly impossible to regu- larly consume these foods while also maintaining a healthy diet. Over- consumption of added sugars can contribute to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dental cavities, and other chronic diseases, while healthy eating patterns that are relatively lower in added sugars are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancers. Enacting this bill would add a provision requiring chain restaurants to add sugar safety warnings and allow New Yorkers and their families to make informed decisions, especially because chain restaurants promote and normalize foods and drinks that are high in added sugars. Fast-food chains in cities like New York City are concentrated in communities of color, communities that are already most unjustly burdened by health disparities and negatively impacted by prior food industry marketing. Similar laws have been implemented in the US in New York City and Phila- delphia, as well as internationally (Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Mexico, and Israel), where research demonstrates that laws like these can help consumers make healthier choices and push food companies to reformulate their products.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.