City Council Approves Obesity Prevention Resolution
City Council approved a resolution 7-1 making obesity prevention a priority for El Paso. The resolution commits the city to developing programs geared to improving healthy options and increasing physical activity, but one council member believes city leaders are overstepping their boundaries.
“At what point do you no longer have any freedom of choice,” said Rep. Eddie Holguin, the lone dissenter in Thursday’s vote. “If you’re going to eat healthy, you’re going to do it. If you’re going to exercise, you’re going to do it, but it’s not my job to tell you to do it.”
City leader insist the point of the resolution was not to impose any restrictions. Supporters said this resolution will increase healthier choices for residents, whether it be by creating more sidewalks so children can safely walk to school or providing incentives for restaurants and stores that sell healthy food.
“This is not about infringing on anybody’s individual choice. It’s really meant to give people more choices,” Sue Beatty, with the Department of Health, said. “It was not our intent to limit who could or could not go into certain areas. It was really our intent to encourage more healthier choices.”
The resolution was approved only after council modified the language, specifically deleting a line that stated, “The City Manager shall…decrease access to unhealthy food retail outlets.”
One group the resolution may impact is food vendors. The resolution plans to review existing vendor contracts that provide foods that are high in sugar and high in fat.
