The fight against sugary drinks for kids is scheduled to be brought to the Longmont City Council Tuesday night.
Four members of the Boulder County Sugary Drinks Youth Committee will present what they have learned about the health and social consequences of sugary drinks and solutions to increase access to healthy drinks, according to a city staff report.
“...Their research and campaign span the health effects of sugary beverages, targeted marketing by the sugary beverage industry and ensuing health inequities and structural racism,” the staff report states.
Youth Committee members “are passionate about educating the community about the harms of sugary beverages but also about taking action, believing that both are critical to changing norms and behaviors,” the report states.
Committee members will also ask the city council to consider relaunching the Healthy Kids’ Meal Ordinance, which was stalled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the report states.
The ordinance would require Longmont restaurants that serve children’s meals to offer healthy beverages as an option. The ordinance was suggested by St. Vrain Healthy Kids and Healthy Longmont and Boulder County Public Health as one way to reduce the negative impact of sugary beverages on childhood obesity.
The draft ordinance made healthy beverages the default beverage with advertised “children’s meals.” Healthy beverages include water with no added sugar, or dairy milk or non-dairy milk substitute with no added sugar, the staff report states.
The ordinance did not prohibit a restaurant from selling, or a customer’s ability to purchase, any other beverage that is available if requested by someone buying the children’s meal, the report states.
BCPH would investigate compliance with the ordinance, which carries similar penalties as the city’s smoking ordinance.
City council last year wanted staff members to reach out to restaurant owners to get their input on the ordinance. The effort along with the ordinance, was shelved due to COVID-19 shutdowns, the report states.
Correction: Previous the article ready heavy beverages when it should have read healthy beverages.
