Polls show mixed reaction to soda sanction

NEW YORK, June 7 (UPI) -- Two polls Thursday disagreed whether government should impose dietary restrictions to fight obesity.

An IBOPE Inteligencia interactive poll indicates 72 percent of those polled disagree with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposal to limit the size of sugary soft drinks, with 58 percent strongly disapproving. Only 23 percent agreed. IBOPE polled 2,029 U.S. adults June 1-4. The margin of error is 2.2 percentage points.

A poll commissioned by the Center for Science in the Public Interest found consumers evenly split on limiting restaurant soft drink sizes to 16 ounces.

"People are starting to figure out that if we want to make a dent in obesity rates, we need to drive down consumption of sugar-based drinks," CPSI Executive Director Michael F. Jacobson said. "Not only are people drinking less soda, but there is more support for public policies that nudge people in the right direction, and that make the healthy choice the default choice."

Fifty-eight percent in the northeastern United States said they support the limit.

The poll queried 1,008 adults May 31-June 3. No margin of error was provided.