In a Capitol room thick with the smell of fast food and breakfast entrees, proponents of Senate Bill 120 (Padilla-D Los Angeles), the proposed nutrition menu labeling law, dramatically illustrated why this legislation needs to be signed by the Governor.
"You choose," Assemblyman Mark DeSaulnier prompted the crowded room as he displayed a plate with two Big Macs, one with four hamburgers and a tall chocolate milkshake. "Which has the most calories?" Except for two insiders who admitted they had seen the study before, not one of the guests in the room chose the milkshake with its whopping 1,160 calories.
"That's the problem," DeSaulnier stated. "If we don't make the food ourselves, it's impossible to guess how big the portion will be, what ingredients are used and how it's prepared. In short, without the nutrition information SB 120 would provide, Californians don't have a prayer of taking charge of their diet when they eat out."
Joined by dozens of health professionals, doctors and consumer advocates, DeSaulnier went on to explain the need for this landmark legislation, which would require chains with 15 or more outlets in California to provide nutritional information on their menus and menu boards.
"We've all heard the old saw: what you don't know won't hurt you. Well, as a physician, I'm here to tell you that that's far from the truth," said Dr. Glenna Trochet, Sacramento County's Health Officer and president of the California Conference of Local Health Officers. "What we don't know is killing us. The inability to make any accurate prediction of the nutritional information is contributing to a runaway obesity epidemic in California that is costing us our health, our lives and our economic well-being."
Trochet pointed to escalating obesity numbers in California, where nearly 60 percent of all adults are overweight. She said that in addition to contributing to more than 300,000 deaths each year, the crisis is costing California's health care an additional $28 billion.
The problem is even more critical for California's Latinos and African Americans, according to Lupe Alonzo-Diaz of the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California.
"While menu labeling may be a helpful aid for many Californians, it's imperative for the millions of Californians suffering from heart disease whose doctors tell them to monitor their salt and fat intake, and for people with diabetes who must monitor their carbohydrate intake at every meal. For Latinos and African Americans, who suffer disproportionately from these diseases, SB 120 may very well be a matter of survival," Alonzo-Diaz said.
Despite pressure from the restaurant lobby, DeSaulnier says SB 120 has widespread support among Californians. A public opinion poll conducted by Field Research earlier this year showed that 84 percent of California's registered voters favored requiring nutritional menu labeling, including 78 percent of Republicans and 89 percent of Democrats.
"When you buy a car, you know what the estimated mileage will be - it's posted on the side window right there next to the price," DeSaulnier said. "Why don't consumers have the right to know what they are buying when they walk into a fast-food outlet?"
Collectively, the speakers congratulated the Governor for his commitment to addressing the obesity crisis, including hosting his 2005 Summit on Health, Nutrition and Obesity. One outcome of that high-level summit was the development of the Governor's Obesity Prevention Plan that specifically recommended requiring nutritional information on menus and menu boards.
"Health and fitness are priorities for this governor. Just as he led the nation in getting sodas and junk foods out of schools, Governor Schwarzenegger once again has the opportunity to lead by ensuring that Californians have the information they need to make healthy dining decisions when they eat out," said DeSaulnier. "This bill is a direct product of the governor's own Summit on Health, Nutrition and Obesity. This is his opportunity to take the best thinking of experts from California and around the country convened and put it into action for the welfare of all Californians."
SB 120 is sponsored by a coalition of health and public interest groups, including the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, the California Optometric Association and the California Center for Public Health Advocacy. For more information on this legislation, visit the CCPHA Web site at: www.publichealthadvocacy.org.