On Thursday, a panel of experts from the New York City Department of Health will come together at P.S. 135 in East Flatbush to discuss the hazards of consuming sugary beverages and how it affects the health of New Yorkers.
Brooklyn has some of the highest levels of obesity in the state with 58.6% of adults being either overweight or obese, and 7.9% of adults have had a doctor diagnose them with diabetes. The panel will also discuss the benefits and merits of the soda tax, a penny-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks which has been proven in countless studies to help people make healthier choices.
The penny-per-ounce soda tax will help reduce New Yorkers’ consumption of unhealthy drinks, and encourage healthier lifestyles. A study by University of Buffalo researchers released recently showed that taxing unhealthy food is a more effective way to fight obesity than making healthy foods like fruit and vegetables more affordable. And according to the New England Journal of Medicine, a penny-per-ounce tax could reduce consumption by as much as 10%.
What: Panel discussion and town hall on rising levels of obesity and diabetes in Brooklyn
Who: Cathy Nonas- Director, Physical Activity& Nutrition’s Program, New York City Department of Health, Assistant Commissioner Dr. Aletha Maybank, Brooklyn District Public Health Office- New York City Department of Health, members of the community.
Where: PS 135, 684 Linden Boulevard, Brooklyn
When: Tomorrow, Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.
