Court case tests New York City sodium warnings rule

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) recently adopted a rule requiring larger restaurant chains to post icons on their menus warning patrons of dishes that contain more than the US government ’s daily limit for sodium. The National Restaurant Association (NRA) sued to block the rule and lost, but it now seeks to reverse the state supreme court’s decision. Besides the millions of vulnerable New Yorkers who are in need of the warnings, the case has implications for medical and public h ealth organizations nationwide.What happened in New York The NYC DOHMH adopted the rule in response to a crisis of hypertension in the city. More than one in four adults in New York City has been told by a health professional that he or she has hypertension, meaning there are almost two million New Yorkers for whom a reduction in sodium consumption is crucial for improved health and a longer life. Warnings about sodium consumption are also critical for the city ’s residents who are at high risk, including African-Americans, people age 51 and older and those with high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease, who together make up more than half of the city’s population. At stake inNational Restaurant Association v. New York City Department of Health and Mental Health,currently before the New York Supreme Court ’s Appellate Division, is whether the rule is an appropriate response to a public health problem, how the First Amendment applies to required ...
Source: AMA Wire - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Source Type: news