Mayor Bloomberg has been on an Ahab-like quest to ban people from buying sodas and sugary drinks with food stamps; but yesterday, his white whale slipped away once again when federal officials rejected the proposed ban. And Bloomberg was pissed: "We think our innovative pilot would have done more to protect people from the crippling effects of preventable illnesses like diabetes and obesity than anything else being proposed anywhere else in the country -- and at little or no cost to taxpayers," Bloomberg said. more ›

Even though Bloomberg's proposed ban on buying sodas and sugary drinks with food stamps may not even happen because the USDA lacks the authority to approve such a change, soft drink companies are fighting the proposal just in case. Food and beverage lobbyists have accused Bloomberg of everything from ignorance to discrimination for the plan. Kevin W. Keane, senior vice president of the American Beverage Association, told the Times, “Once you start going into grocery carts, deciding what people can or cannot buy, where do you stop?” Clearly, he's not familiar with how Michael "Deal With It" Bloomberg operates. more ›

The latest PSA warning New Yorkers about the side-effects of excessive soda consumption seems a little boring at first. While their last spot skewed zany, with a guy pouring sugar packets into his mouth to emphasize the high sugar content of some beverages, this one starts out showing a day in the life of some random slob who pairs his depressing breakfast, lunch, and dinner with various sugary drinks. Ho-hum. Then an obese man in a motorized wheelchair appears, to demonstrate one possible outcome of such an unhealthy lifestyle. Depressing enough, but where's the shock value? Well, fasten your seat belts for the 18 second mark, when... Well, we won't spoil it, but hopefully all those carbonated beverages have given you got a strong stomach: more ›

In NY state, Big Gulps are poised to become the new cigarettes. Health officials say they’re ready to instate a tax on fizzy drinks that contribute to obesity rates; they want to charge an extra cent for every ounce of sugary soda (diet sodas are exempt since they contain no calories). On Monday the city and state health commissioners will meet with Gov. Paterson, who’s previously supported such a tax, to hash out a plan. "This is one good thing we could do during a miserable year in Albany," State Health Commissioner Richard Daines told the Daily News. more ›

Well, the title of this video pretty much says it all. Making good on their promise to make a commercial for their vivid ad campaign discouraging sugary drink consumption, the NYC Health Department has just released this little opus. If you like Garbage Pail Kids, you'll love this: more ›

The Health Department wants New Yorkers to reduce sugary beverage consumption, but the department's employees can still buy the controversial carbonated concoctions from vending machines in the lobby at department headquarters. The Post recently "found" the machine in the 125 Worth Street, and some of the drinks available are Gatorade, Snapple and Coca-Cola—which are being singled out in a $350K anti-soda ad campaign. Naturally, a lobbyist for the beverage industry was happy to comment: "[This] just shows you that we shouldn't allow the Department of Health bureaucrats to make decisions for us, because their decision-making process is often jaundiced." Well, at least it wasn't a cigarette vending machine. more ›