The American Heart Association applauds DC Councilmembers Brianne Nadeau, David Grosso, and Charles Allen for proposing the Healthy Beverages for Kids’ Meals Act in the DC Council on September 18.
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This bill encourages healthy choices for kids and parents by requiring restaurants in the District to set the default drink option for kids’ meals to healthy options like water, milk or 100% fruit juice. Parents could still order sugary drinks for their child upon request, but they would no longer be included as the menu option for kids’ meals in DC.
This policy aims to reduce kids’ high consumption of sugar, since it is linked to unhealthy weight, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. AHA recommends children only consume one eight-ounce sugary drink a week, but research shows that kids often consume up to ten times the amount.
Dr. Roquell Wyche, President of AHA’s Greater Washington Region Board of Directors, said: “The Healthy Kids’ Meal bill creates powerful change to help D.C. kids live healthier lives. Sugary drinks are among the biggest contributors to children’s unhealthy weight. The policy helps make the healthy choice the easy choice for parents and kids.”
Washington D.C. would join California, Baltimore, and communities in Colorado and California as places inspiring healthy living for kids by making the healthy choice the easy choice in restaurants.
AHA is joined in support of this policy by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, American Cancer Society, DC Greens, YMCA of DC, and the Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at GW have also shown their support in the Healthy Beverages for Kids’ Meals Act of 2018.
You too, can show your support for healthy kids’ meals by using #HealthyKidsDC or clicking here to take action!
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