A bill that bans local regulation of portion size and calorie counts for restaurants has passed in Mississippi, a state with one of the highest obesity rates in the country.
The so-called "anti-Bloomberg bill," labeled as such because these are all measures New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has championed, was introduced by state Sen. Tony Smith. The bill's author told the New York Daily News, "If we give government a little more control of our personal rights—where does it stop?" The bill also bans local rules that would forbid children's toys to be handed out with meals.
The first such ordinance was passed in Santa Clara County in California. A study that looked at the effect of the regulation, which requires fast-food chains to offer a healthier option if they give away toys with meals, showed restaurants promoted the healthier options over the fat- and salt-laden versions.
Read more at Yahoo News
