Several Rhode Island lawmakers have filed legislation requiring restaurants with children’s menus to offer meals that meet specific nutritional standards.
What the Healthy Kids Act Requires
WPRI-TV 12 reported, “The Healthy Kids Act would require all ‘kids’ meals’ to include two of the five food groups: fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, protein, and whole grains.”
“The act also looks to make the default beverage something other than a sugary drink, like milk or water,” the station reported.
Which Restaurants Are Impacted?
According to the legislation, the rules would apply to all eat-in and take-out restaurants in the Ocean State, “including, but not limited to, drive-through or walk-up counters, coffee shops, cafes, pizza parlors, and dine-in establishments,” but not school cafeterias.
Download the WBSM Mobile App Now
Where have I heard this before?
Childhood Obesity Rates in Rhode Island
The legislation states that “Thirty-five percent (35%) of Rhode Island children are overweight or obese,” and that “Forty percent (40%) of children in Rhode Island’s core cities are overweight or obese compared to thirty-five percent (35%) of children in the remainder of the state.”
According to the legislation, “Forty-one percent (41%) of Latinx and forty-one percent (41%) of Black children in Rhode Island are overweight or obese compared to thirty-two percent (32%) of white children.”
Industry Pushback and Next Steps
WPRI reported the bill’s sponsors have “received pushback from the Department of Health about the challenges of enforcing it, as well as from the hospitality industry concerning the cost to restaurant owners.”…