Promoting Healthy Lifestyle Choices Through Policy Change:

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Promoting Healthy Lifestyle Choices Through
Policy Change The Menu Labeling Example
Manel Kappagoda, JD, MPH CDC Diabetes
Translation Conference April 24, 2009
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Why Should You Care About Policy Interventions
like Menu Labeling?

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Adult Per Capita Cigarette Consumption and
Smoking-and-Health Events 1900-1998

Source USDA 1986 Surgeon General's Report
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What do we mean by policy?

• Local ordinances
• State/federal law
• Zoning language
• Resolutions
• Standards
• School/agency policy language
• Contracts/agreements

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Why has childhood obesity nearly tripled in the
past 30 years?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Obesity Prevalence. Available http//www.cdc.gov/
nccdphp/Dnpa/obesity/childhood/prevalence.htm
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Problem Energy Imbalance
Calories
Activity
Solution Decrease calories/promote healthy
eating Increase physical activity/promote active
living
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One Strategy for Addressing the Energy Imbalance
Menu Labeling
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Why is Menu Labeling Effective?Opportunities to
Affect Consumer Behavior
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Who Supports Menu Labeling Legislation?

• Key Supporters Include
• American Cancer Society
• American Heart Association
• American Public Health Association
• American Diabetes Association
• But Wait
• National Restaurant Association has also
  sponsored menu labeling legislation

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Proposed Federal Legislation

• The Menu Labeling and Education Act (MEAL)
• H.R. 3895, 110th Congress (2007) S. 2784, 110th
  Cong. (2008)
• The Labeling Education and Nutrition Act (LEAN)
• H.R. 7187 (2008), S. 3575, 110th Congress (2008)
• Key Issues
• How information is displayed
• Preemption

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State Legislation The California Experience

• State law goes into effect July 1, 2009
• Preempted local laws in San Francisco and Santa
  Clara counties
• Local laws challenged by California Restaurant
  Association
• Bars any local laws related to the dissemination
  of nutritional information by a food facility

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Local Legislation New York City

• New York
• Landmark local legislation driven by local board
  of health and local health department
• Lawsuit NYC vs. NRSA

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Role of the American Diabetes Association

• Testifying on behalf of menu labeling legislation
• Filing amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs
  when local menu labeling laws have been challenged

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NPLANs Model Policies
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Built Environment

• Healthy Eating
• Farmers Markets
• Community Gardens
• Fast Food Regulation
• Healthy Mobile Vending
• Active Living
• Complete Streets

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School Environment

• Healthy Eating
• Healthy Vending
• Advertising Policies
• Fast Food Near Schools
• Active Living
• Joint Use Agreements
• Child Care Standards

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Marketing to Children

• Healthy Eating
• Digital Media
• Federal Trade Commission
• Menu Labeling

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Additional Resources

• To find a model menu labeling law and additional
  legal resources on menu labeling laws, go to
  www.nplanonline.org
• For information about existing menu labeling
  policies nationwide, go to http//www.cspinet.org/
  menulabeling/
• For overview of the scientific support for menu
  labeling, go to www.yaleruddcenter.org

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Manel Kappagoda, JD, MPH Deputy
Director National Policy Legal Analysis
Network 2201 Broadway, Suite 502Oakland, CA
94612 [phone] mkappagoda_at_phlpnet.org www.n
planonline.org