NYC bans big, sugary drinks at eateries, theaters

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New York City's health board has passed a rule banning oversized, sugary drinks at restaurants, concession stands and other eateries.

The regulation passed on Thursday puts a 16-ounce (453-gram) size limit on cups and bottles of non-diet soda, sweetened teas and other calorie-packed beverages.

The ban will apply in fast-food shops, movie houses and Broadway theaters, workplace cafeterias and most other places selling prepared food. It doesn't cover supermarkets or most convenience stores. City health officials say the ban is necessary to combat a deadly obesity epidemic.

The restaurant and beverage industries have assailed the plan as misguided. They say the city's health experts are exaggerating the role sugary beverages have played in making Americans fat. Some New Yorkers have also ridiculed the rule as a gross government intrusion.