California lawmakers have rejected a bill that would have made the state the first to require warning labels on sodas and other sugary drinks.
Bill SB 1000 would have required warnings on the front of all beverage containers with added sweeteners that have 75 or more calories in every 12 ounces. The measure failed to garner enough votes as lawmakers doubted whether a label would change consumer behavior, according to a usatoday.com story.
The bill's author, state Sen. William Monning (D-Carmel), cited research showing the link between sugary drinks and those health problems, noting that the wording was developed by a national panel of nutrition and public health experts.
The bill was supported by the California Medical Association and the California Center for Public Health Advocacy.
To reduce the significant financial and social burdens of caries, free sugars in the diet should make up no more than 3% of total energy intake, according to a new study by British researchers in BMC Public Health. The study's findings indicate that current approaches to controlling dental caries are failing to prevent high levels of caries in adults in all countries. This is related to the current high amount of sugar intake worldwide, and a new and radical policy of progressive sugar reduction is needed, they noted.
