Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Board approves Healthy Kids Meal Incentive Ordinance to set nutrition standards for kids' meals
Loading...
Summary
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed the Healthy Kids Meal Incentive Ordinance requiring kids' meals to include fruits or vegetables, limit calories to 600 and bar certain high-sugar/fat beverages when a toy is bundled. The measure passed 8-3.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved the Healthy Kids Meal Incentive Ordinance, which sets nutritional standards for restaurant meals marketed to children and allows toys to be included only if the meal meets basic nutrition criteria.
The ordinance requires kids' meals to contain fruits or vegetables, caps calories at 600 per meal and prohibits accompaniment of toys with beverages judged excessive in fat or sugar. Supervisors voted 8 ayes and 3 noes to pass the measure in final vote.
Supervisor Eric Mar, the ordinance sponsor, told the board the policy is a “simple and modest” approach to confronting childhood obesity and to improve food environments in low-income neighborhoods that lack access to fresh choices. Mar cited research from the Rudd Center at Yale and UCSF estimates of local health costs tied to obesity as supporting the changes.
“Kids' meals must contain fruits and vegetables, must not exceed 600 calories, and not include beverages that have excessive fat or sugar,” Mar said. He described the ordinance as encouraging restaurants to offer healthier options when marketing to children.
Supporters at the hearing pointed to studies showing frequent exposure to fast-food marketing and the role such marketing plays in children's requests and consumption patterns. Mar and other proponents said the ordinance aligns with recommendations from nutrition experts and local public-health efforts to reduce diet-related disease and costs.
Opponents voiced concerns during committee work and prior hearings about potential impacts on small restaurants and enforcement; however, the roll call on final passage recorded eight ayes and three no votes.
The ordinance passed on a final vote; implementation details, including enforcement mechanisms and any required rulemaking, will be developed by city departments as the law takes effect.
The board's vote was: Campos (aye); President Chu (aye); Chu (no); Daley (aye); Dufty (aye); Ellsburn (no); Mar (aye); Maxwell (aye); Mercarimi (aye); Alioto Pier (no); Avalos (aye).
