Most oppose NYC plan to curb sugary drinks: poll

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most Americans oppose New York City's plan to limit the serving size of sugary drinks and don't see it helping the fight against obesity, yet even more say they would switch to lower-calorie beverages or consume less as a result, according to a nationwide American Mosaic Reuters/Ipsos poll.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled a plan last week to limit single servings of full-calorie sodas, sports drinks and other beverages to no more than 16 ounces at restaurants, movie theaters and other public venues. The move, aimed at curbing behaviors that contribute to the nation's obesity epidemic, ignited fierce criticism from the beverage industry.

Nearly two-thirds of respondents to the Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Friday said they would oppose the introduction of a similar measure where they live, saying it gave government too much control over people's dietary choices.

More than 70 percent of the nearly 1,000 U.S. adults polled online also said they did not think the proposed rule would affect obesity rates. About 30 percent disagreed, saying it could help curb obesity and lower healthcare costs. For a graphic, see: http://link.reuters.com/nes68s...