New York City’s department of health recently released a new set of posters for its campaign against obesity and diabetes.
The new ads illustrate the growing portions of fast foods and sodas, and connect them to the dangerous health conditions. The ads show how the increase in soda and French fry intakes has made both obesity and diabetes much more common.
“Portions have grown. So has Type 2 diabetes, which can lead to amputations,” one poster reads, with an image of growing soda cups and an amputee in a wheelchair. This is only one of the city’s recent attempts to discourage super-sized servings of sugary drinks and fast, fatty and salty foods.
New York’s health commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said “The portion sizes that are marketed are often much more than humans need.”
The American Beverage Association has responded to the campaign, claiming it oversimplifies the connection between the portion sizes and the health conditions.
“Portion control is indeed an important piece of the solution to obesity,” Stefan Friedman of the association said. “But instead of utilizing scare tactics, the beverage industry is offering real solutions like smaller portioned containers and calorie labels that show the number of calories in a full container, right up front, to help people choose products and sizes that are right for them and their families.”