Proposed legislation in Denver would offer only milk or water on kids' menus instead of soda

Denver, Colorado’s proposed "Healthy Drinks in Children's Meals" ordinance would put milk and water as the only visible options for children in order to encourage healthy choices, even if others are available.

The Denver Post reported that this Denver proposal aims to "sideline sodas and sugary drinks and help drive healthier dietary choices for young Denverites at a time when health care professionals say rates of chronic illness, like diabetes, obesity and fatty liver disease, are increasing in children."

Essentially, this regulation would not restrict parents from buying soda or sugary drinks for their children, but merely make it something that would not be a visible option on children’s menus.

Fox News Digital reached out to Councilman Chris Hinds, one of the sponsors of the new legislation, who defended it by suggesting, "we're not taking the freedom of choice from families. Should a parent want their child to have soda, orange juice, or any other sugary beverage, that is their right. We're only nudging the default choice to be a healthy one."

Many Americans are increasingly wary of sugar and sugar substitutes and their role in society's health issues. ((Photo credit should read JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images))

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He also noted this is part of a wave of similar regulations.

"This is the same approach with Denver's legislation about bag fees (nudging people to bring their own bags) and ‘skip the stuff’ (nudging restaurants and people to only get napkins, soy sauce packets, etc when a customer asks rather than by default)," Hinds wrote. 'Both still allowed restaurants to provide bags/napkins, but the default choice is better for the planet.  The bag fee led to an 80% reduction in single use bags in Denver."

He added further, "Our hope is this nudge will provide similar results for our children.  We have a childhood obesity epidemic and a childhood diabetes epidemic in Denver (and far beyond!), and both would be reduced if our kids drank less sugar."

The Denver Post reported that the local committee had voted unanimously to move the ordinance on for consideration by the larger council as a whole in upcoming weeks. If it becomes law, it would impact every restaurant and dining facility in the city.

The Denver Post noted that some argue there is a "racial equity element" in limiting these sugary drinks, which advocates say are "disproportionately marketed to communities and children of color."

Giannina Estrada was one of many who spoke on behalf of ViVe Wellness, a nonprofit that educates low-income families about health.

Downtown Denver skyline, photographed from the Jacquard Hotel rooftop in Denver, Colorado on November 15, 2018.   (Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)

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"As you know, communities of color have a higher risk of diabetes. And when I go to these communities, they always have some kind of testimony regarding a family member or themselves or a loved one who has diabetes," she said via a translator.

While the Colorado Restaurant Association has reportedly taken a neutral stance on the legislation, the organization’s director of government affairs, Colin Larson, said they are thankful that the bill offers restaurants plenty of time to update their menus. 

"Restaurants would have until July 1, 2025, to change their menus. Financial support also would be offered to offset the costs of updated marketing materials," The Denver Post reported. "According to the presentation, restaurants would be able to request as much as $2,000 for those purposes."

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Councilwoman Serena Gonzales-Guitterez, a co-sponsor of the legislation and a mother of three, argued that she wished this sort of policy existed when her own children were younger.

"They’re the age now where of course they can read the menu and they can say, ‘I know this place has pop or soda. I know that they have this juice that I want,’" the councilwoman said. "But when they were younger, I could definitely see the value in, as a parent, looking at a menu and saying, ‘Well, here’s what our options are.’"