44% of our viewers who responded to the Snap Poll tonight said Mayor Bloomberg's health initiatives "weren't working at all." Still, many of our viewers called to praise the attempt. Most seem to be open to suggestions on ways to make people healthier, as long as the solution doesn't include another government ban.

According to a new study funded by the City's Department of Health, an average of 2.4 grams of trans fat have been eliminated from a typical lunch purchase in New York City. The study was based on 15,000 customer receipts gathered since 2007, when Mayor Bloomberg led the charge to restrict artificial trans fat at restaurants.

The study is being published in the Annals of Internal Medicine and comes the week before the Board of Health is expected to approve Bloomberg's plan to ban the sale of large, sugary drinks in restaurants, movie theaters and stadiums. Do you welcome these public health initiatives?

What's your reaction to the reduction in trans fat consumption during the last six years? Do you want to see more government-led health initiatives? Have you changed your eating or smoking habits in recent years?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

The mayors decision is extremely contradicting for eliminating soda to help with obesity. Meanwhile we live in a city where you can find all types of new burgers for $1 yet a salad $4-5. If he cared for obesity, price range for healthy eating would b cheaper.

Gigi

Not every slender person is healthy. Not every overweight person is unhealthy. What about the slim person who likes a large sugary drink?

I don’t drink sugary drinks because I choose not to. BUT that does not authorize the city’s self-appointed king to dictate what we eat and don’t eat. Something’s wrong with this guy.

Sla

As what The Mayor did blocking trans-fats to NYC - instead of stopping sugary drinks, he should ban Corn Syrup. Were the only country in the world with this chemical we consume in sadly 50-85% of our everyday products.

-Blake
East Village

Bottom line. If you want to eat like a rabbit. Drink green tea forever and a day...go right ahead. I respect your right to do so. However, you should respect MY rights as well if I choose to eat a juicy cheeseburger and a Mountain Dew. It's MY decision. Not yours.

Norm
Upper East side

I find it amusing that people that want to know why there is no additional tax on guns and alcohol versus the sodas don't realize that there is actually a Government SUBSIDY that has made the sugary sodas so cheap to begin with. All Bloomberg wants to do is reverse this unnecessary subsidy!

-Patrick

It's a good idea, even a great idea to ban so many things out there but where do we draw the line?? Stop it!

Jeff in the Les

Sometimes folks can not do things on there own unless there is an intervention. The mayor stepping in and saying enough is enough when it comes to sugar and trans fat is a great move. It will take a while to see a difference, but it may make a difference between someone acquiring diabetes or not. Gun control and food portion I'm all for it.

Roy/the bronx

Hi John,

I have the answer to all the pros and cons I’ve heard tonight. You can’t please all of the people all of the time except where all those people think alike, sooo, divide the city in half, on one half, put all the smokers, drunk drivers, fat people (yeah, the ones who take up three seats on public transit), the idiots who text while walking or driving, those who play music at airport levels after 8:00 p.m., etc., etc., and put them all on one side of the city, then put all the others who have an IQ 3 points higher than a door knob and who can make logical decisions about everyday life on the other side—all problems solved. Birds of a feather SHOULD be forced to flock together, then they’ll see how they look to others.

Regards,
Walter,
New Dorp

I think the ban on large sugary drinks is unfair to people that would want to buy a large drink or bottle of soda to share with their family. It would cost them a lot more money to purchase a drink for every member of the family.

Debbie from Flushing

Why doesn't Bloomberg ban alcohol? I would think drinking especially among high school and college age kids is much worse than a certain amount of sugar. Politicians have no right to legislate what we can ingest. Logically we should go back to Prohibition. Why isn't the Mayor going back to Prohibition?

Susan
East Side

i have restricted my transfat consumption , but not of my own choice. but i don't mind except that french fries taste horrible now in a restaurant. this cooking oil that is now used in restaurants is gross. my parents lived to a nice old age despite transfat.

jack
west side

trans fat was was cooking oil restaurants were using to save money so i dont have a problem with that ban but when it comes to what one wants to drink i disagree if i can get a 20 oz ill get one, you cant go around telling what to drink or what size. this ban is going to cause people to drink sugary drinks.

EFRAIN
CARROLL GARDENS

I think trying to ban or even warn people how many calories are in soda, chips, & junk foods in general means very little. The problem is so many people are sedentary. Kids are playing video games and aren't out playing. So many are obsessed with electronics and don't exercise!!

Dave
Flatbush, Brooklyn

I believe that banning large drinks in fast food restaurants can be effective however I dont think that is necessary to help New Yorkers learn healthy portion sizes. I do however welcome government funded campaigns making us aware of what a normal portion size looks like as well as what regulating portion sizes can do to improve your health. I know that the trans fat initiative has been successful but that is an ingredient and it is not noticeable in the taste of the fast food. I believe that if a person would like to be healthier they will adopt healthy practices no matter how large the drinks are and if a person doesn't care about their health they will continue drinking 16 oz sodas.

I personally don't eat fast food and i make an effort not to consume trans fats ever since ive become aware of their detrimental effects. So i believe that education may help in the sugary drink case

Thank you,
Gabrielle
Brooklyn

I'm for a healthier New York but find it SO interesting that Bloomberg cares so deeply about transfats and sodas and so little about the risk to New Yorkers from radon gas coming through all the new gas pipelines he's pushing on the city!

Clare

Bloomberg and his bought and paid for yes men/women are totally full of BS. I don't believe a word they say. They manipulate statistics to make the Emperor look good.

Frances
East Village

So it's time for the Mayor's weekly victory lap of self congratulations for doing nothing, yippee. How much did this important study cost or was it on his dime? If a union worker was involved in gathering the information he would have complained they made too much money and had them fired. I question the scientific accuracy of this study, as well as it's significance. This study was done using people's lunch eating habits via receipts, so who were they checking? The average poor to working class person isn't holding on to lunch receipts, and that's if they can afford lunch. This study sounds like it is just more made up figures from the Mayors office to make it look they are doing some good, instead of the tons of harm they have done. Where is the study on how many people and children go hungry in this city every day, or how many people are malnourished? Nobody wants to ask that question let alone answer it, and the Mayor just breaks his arm patting himself on the back off of a study that was probably done using the receipts of his buddies and employees on the Board of Health.

RL
The Bronx

Yes, more government intervention is necessary. It's the only way the runaway train of Big Ag can be stopped. People aren't taught about health, they're brainwashed with advertising.

Marty

John.

It is none of the government’s business what we inhale, imbibe, ingest or shoot up or in what quantity.

It is the obesity of the government, i.e. the abusive, outrageous ever-expanding regulations and violations of our rights and our freedom that we should be fighting.

Joe
Port Richmond, SI

Do you welcome these public health initiatives? I suppose I do.

What's your reaction to the reduction in trans fat consumption during the last six years?
It sounds good and fun to eat food is still available (though not for me - see last answer).

Do you want to see more government-led health initiatives? I do when all doctors agree and the city is on the hook to pay for the consequences of bad health.

Have you changed your eating or smoking habits in recent years? Yes. After I was diagnosed with coronary heart disease on Dec 1 2011, I have eliminated all bad cholesterol from my diet and have lost about 15 lbs and I was not considered heavy before, but I have a hereditary predisposition to heart disease.

Ira

I WOULD THINK PERSONAL CHOICES WOULD BE LEFT UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL INSTEAD OF BIG GOVERNMENT. I STOPPED SMOKING, CHANGED MY EATING HABITS,AND EXERCISE MORE MAINLY BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO BE KNIGHTED, "SIR CUMFERENCE".

JOE, BAY TERRACE

JOHN,

JUST WHAT THE HELL IS ALL OF THIS CRAP NOW WITH THIS DICTATOR? DOESN'T HE HAVE ANYTHING TO DO? HE HAS MORE THAN HE CAN HANDLE. THIS IS BECOMING OUTRAGEOUS AND THEY ARE MORE THAN TICKING US ALL OFF ABOUT MANY THINGS.
THEY ARE REALLY PUSHING THEIR LUCK NOW AND THEY HAD BETTER STOP ANTAGONIZING ALL OF US AND KEEP THINKING THAT THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT.

I AS MANY OF US TAX PAYING CITIZENS HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THESE PEOPLE MAKING CHANGES TO PLEASE THEM. I ALWAYS THANK YOU JOHN FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK TO BRING THESE STORIES TO OUR ATTENTION. HOW MANY OF THESE POLITICIANS HAVE WE SEEN COME FORWARD TO SPEAK ABOUT CON-ED?

MAXXIEE
MP

now- if only the hospitals would do the same. fyi: they don't want to hear simple tips re such can't bear change or understand learning INCLUDES experience, respecting others, & is a life-liong 'discimpline' simply using whipped margaribe=ne vs hard lard would resolve that and- they really need look at content of food VS just calories or glycemic index- esp as glycemic for them includes sugar- dextrose- & SPIKES the sugar of type1- true- diabetes again- they "bristle", can';t comprhened, ie, can't think in context, & thus get enraged & abusive tow the messenger HELP!

thx
Theresa
E Vill

We need more education. We do not need more bans. The Mayor has a power problem. His latest idea is to reduce the size of apartments. But he lives in a spacious house.. I can't wait until this little dictator is out of office. He is one scarrrrry little dude.

Allen, East Village

Someone straighten this mental midget out. Someway somehow he's going to make money".

Don from astoria

In restaurants, movie theaters and stadiums we should have options of alternative healthy drinks or even water. When a person is thirsty and the only provision is large sugary drinks, most people will drink it and many will drink more than they may ordinarily drink. With the aforementioned in mind it would be in our best interest for the government to intervene because people and business are not doing it themselves.

Damond,
Clinton Hill, Brooklyn

I agree with Gloria from Bay Ridge. The Mayor needs to bring back real physical education to the school and teach the children the different sports and play it correctly; allow the children to have recess before coming inside the schools and letting them run during lunchtime; and then have afterschool or centers (PAL) and let the children play games, dance and learn to compete and socialize peacefully.

These children have nothing to do but to go to a Fast Food Spot or eat that junk food.

Teach their parent's about nutrition. Have them watch a video call "Super Size Me". After seeing that a year ago, my 10 years old granddaughter was no longer allowed to eat McDonald or any of those Fast Food place and she lost much weight. And performed much better in school.

RMC

I don't understand why he's banning sugary drinks. Why not simply provide healthy alternatives and let us decide for ourselves what we wish to imbibe? In other words, if a movie theater only serves 32 ounce sodas, let them also serve smaller healthier options.

Tina

Bring back term limits. Stop authoritarian rule. The mayor is thoughtful and caring but freedom is more important than any nanny law.

Jeff in the Les