By Khalida Sarwari
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted today in favor of an ordinance banning restaurants from giving away toys with certain kids’ meals.
The board voted 3-2 in favor of passing an ordinance aimed at preventing restaurants from including toys with meals that are high in fat, sugar and calories.
Supervisor Ken Yeager, who proposed the ordinance, said the law supports parents’ efforts to make healthier choices for their children.
“This ordinance breaks the link between unhealthy food and prizes,” Yeager said at a news conference in San Jose this afternoon. “Under this ordinance, restaurants are still permitted to give out toys. This ordinance merely imposes very specific, common sense nutrition standards for children’s meals that are linked to these incentives.”
The ban, which will affect only unincorporated areas of the county, will go into effect 90 days after the second reading of the ordinance on May 11. During the 90-day grace period, restaurants have the opportunity to offer alternative measures to meeting the goals of the ordinance.
Violations will cost restaurants a $250 fine the first time, $500 the second time, and up to $1,000.
The Federal Trade Commission estimated that in 2006 restaurants spent $360 million on toys and sold 1.2 billion meals accompanied by toys to children under 12, according to Yeager’s office.
A 2008 Center for Science in the Public Interest study found that 10 out of 12 of the highest calorie meals at restaurants came with toys.
One in four youth in Santa Clara County are either overweight or obese, and one in three low-income children between 2 and 5 years old are overweight or obese, according to Yeager’s office. Obese children are at risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.
“This ordinance will ultimately prevent illness and may even save a life,” Cody said.