New Bill Proposes Modifying Happy Meals with Healthier Options
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Policymakers based the proposal on a recent study by NYU Langone Medical Center that analyzed consumers’ habits at McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King restaurants in New York City. The data showed that an average 7-year-old consumes around 600 calories per meal and over 800mg of sodium.
The Happy Meals Bill is part of a larger effort to combat childhood obesity. According to the NYC department of health, nearly half the city’s elementary school children are above “healthy weight.” The bill currently being considered by New York’s City Council was proposed by councilman Ben Kallos, and is based on several bills already in use in California; it was rejected when first submitted in 2011 but is up for debate again.