The current health policy I have chosen for this discussion is controlling the size of sugary drinks sold in restaurants. The policy includes banning the sale of sugared beverages larger than 16 oz. (Gostin, 2013). According to research, the consumption of sugary drinks has resulted in increased cases of obesity and diabetes. Moreover, Americans’ rising thirst for sugary drinks increases the risk for heart diseases, which health care professionals consider as the number one killer of U.S. citizens (Studdert, Flanders & Mello, 2015). Although the government has a role in protecting its citizens, opponents of the policy believe that the move to limit the size of sugary drinks would deprive people of their freedoms and rights. Officials from the restaurant and beverage industry are critical of the policy since they believe that obesity is caused by many factors other than sugared beverages. Critics want the government to regulate other sources of sugar such as sweets and candy instead of singling out sugared sodas.

The policy has an impact on the personal autonomy. Americans care for their freedom, and controlling the size of sugary drinks sold in restaurants would limit their freedom. Telling a person what he should eat is an intrusion on personal decisions. Conversely, research shows that sugar can be physically addictive to a person; therefore, the policy would promote personal freedom since, with addiction, a person cannot make full autonomous decisions.

The policy is significant to the overall health of the community since it helps to alleviate the cost and burden of chronic diseases in the United States. Limiting the size of sugary drinks will save lives and lower obesity and diabetes epidemics. The data reviewed by the board of health indicated that the consumption of sugared drinks constitutes 43% of added sugar in the diet of an average American (Gostin, 2013). Therefore, the policy would be useful in reducing the number of obese individuals thus decreasing government expenditure on medical services.
References

Gostin, L.O. (2013). Banning large sodas is legal and smart. CNN. Retrieved on June 10, 2017 from http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/13/opinion/gostin-soda-ban/index.html

Studdert, D. M., Flanders, J., & Mello, M. M. (2015). Searching for public health law’s sweet spot: the regulation of sugar-sweetened beverages. PLoS Med, 12(7), e1001848.

 
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