Today the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) fired back against New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who vowed Tuesday to pursue fast-food zoning policies in NYC’s poorer neighborhoods.
Fast-food zoning is just the latest example of a broad agenda by NYC’s paternalistic officials to restrict what New Yorkers eat and drink. This agenda also includes other nanny-state policies currently being pushed by city bureaucrats, such as taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, salt and trans fat bans.
A 2009 Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) study undercuts the basis for Quinn’s draconian fast food zoning proposal. Looking at data for 60,000 children over 11 years, the study found that living in vicinity of fast-food restaurants had little to no effect on children's weight.
“It seems like New York politicians are trying to see who can outdo each other when it comes to regulating what New Yorkers eat,” said J. Justin Wilson, Senior Research Analyst at the Center for Consumer Freedom. “Despite most New Yorkers knowing the difference between a banana and a banana split, New York City officials seem dead-set on demonizing and regulating every aspect of New Yorkers’ food and beverage choices.”
Not surprisingly, the IUPUI study also found that living near certain recreational amenities, such as a soccer field or tennis court, lowers a child’s body mass index.
Wilson continued, “The single-minded belief of Quinn and other city officials that child obesity is only caused by ‘calories in’ completely disregards scientific research which has shown time and again that the solution for childhood obesity is much more complex than any single feel-good policy can solve.”
