Health

Happy Meals will need to become healthier meals if one city councilman gets his way.

Manhattan Councilman Ben Kallos plans to introduce a bill requiring strict new health standards on fast food kids meals that offer free items like toys.

The legislation would ban fast food restaurants from including the freebies if the meals exceed 500 calories and more than 600 milligrams of sodium.

Restaurants would also be forced to include at least half a cup of fruit or vegetables, or a serving of whole-grain products in kids meals.

First-time offenders would face a fine of $200 to $500.

A third offense could cost as much as $2,500.

With the past decade of food issues at the forefront of public discourse, new organizations to improve the food network have sprung up that don’t operate under the same assumptions that older food organizations use. As Councilman Ben Kallos (D) of New York City wrote to me last week in support of his proposal to create a government-based FPC, there are “hundreds of food active groups, from the organizations with annual budgets of millions of dollars to the tiny neighborhood advocates…. A Food Policy Council would help level the playing field for the grassroots advocates…”

Despite U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) scientific findings that the misuse of antibiotics in farm animals threatens human health from “superbugs,” business will continue as usual.

The practice of feeding low doses of antibiotics to healthy livestock on factory farms is contributing to an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria, or superbugs, which is a growing public health concern.

While the appeals court decision is disappointing to those working to keep antibiotics effective, their efforts continue. New York City Council Member Ben Kallos yesterday introduced Resolution 353 calling for a New York State and national ban on non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in livestock.

City Watch invites guests who are  involved with social, economic, political and cultural issues in New York City. Our guests give information that we hope will enable our listeners to actively participate in a more informed way.

Listen to the show

Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Ben Kallos spoke to the March 26 meeting of the Roosevelt Island Women's Health Organization. In addition to celebrating Women's History Month by presenting aProclamation honoring 5 Phenomenal Roosevelt Island women, Mr. Kallos also described the constituent services available to the Roosevelt Island community through his office.