Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Two Years Into Philly's Sugary Drink Tax, No Major Change In Kids' Obesity
Philadelphia's beverage tax on sugary drinks was not associated with changes in pediatric weight outcomes 2 years after it took effect, researchers found. Among 2- to 18-year-olds with BMI measured both before and after the $0.015/oz tax was implemented in 2017 on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and artificially sweetened beverages, standardized body mass index (zBMI) dropped by only a nonsignificant 0.004 between youth in Philadelphia and those in surrounding counties who served as controls without the tax, reported Emily Gregory, MD, MHS, of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues. Philadelphia's tax led to a 30% increase in price and a 35% decrease in overall sales of sweetened drinks.(Henderson, 11/25)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
Many workers in Massachusetts are now entitled to sick time if they or their spouse experience a miscarriage or an unsuccessful attempt at assisted reproduction, surrogacy, or adoption. The change in state law, which was enshrined in the maternal health bill that Governor Maura Healey signed in August and took effect Nov. 21, covers most Massachusetts workers, who are typically eligible for up to 40 hours in earned sick time per year for events like illnesses, medical appointments, or recovery from domestic violence involving themselves or their families. (Gerber, 11/25)
After more than a year of delays, D.C. officials on Monday celebrated the opening of the Aston — a former college dormitory that has become the city’s newest shelter for the homeless despite ongoing opposition from some neighbors. In May 2023, George Washington University selected the D.C. government among a pool of bidders for the 67,000-square-foot graduate student housing building at 1129 New Hampshire Ave. NW. And after closing on the $27.5 million purchase months later, the administration of Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) began to more fully detail its plan to transform the Aston into D.C.'s first shelter allowing couples and mixed-gender adult families to stay together. (Brice-Saddler, 11/25)
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ request to send monthly food boxes to low income families over the summer, instead of sending them money for food, has been denied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, leaving summer food assistance for at least 240,000 Iowa kids hanging in the balance. (Sostaric, 11/25)
Facing rapid increases in the cost of living, nearly two out of every five households in Rhode Island are now considered food insecure, according to a new report from the Rhode Island Community Food Bank released Monday. About 38 percent of the state’s households are considered food insecure, a jump over last year’s 29 percent of households that experienced limited or uncertain access to food. The rate is now higher than at any time during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the 2024 Status Report on Hunger in Rhode Island, which cites data from the R.I. Life Index conducted in March and April. (Gavin, 11/25)
The legislature’s interim Education Committee tied in a vote to move forward a draft bill that would have created a K-12 mental health policy for the state. Under Wyoming legislature rules, a tie means it fails. The bill was researched and written by the Mental Health and Vulnerable Adult Task Force. (Kudelska, 11/25)
The scene played out many times at a general hospital in Marin County, always with palpable urgency. An ambulance would radio from the Golden Gate Bridge, reporting that someone had jumped from the rail – and miraculously survived. At MarinHealth Medical Center, doctors would marshal all resources, said trauma surgeon John Maa.“ There was always a great level of preparation and concern whenever someone was brought in,” Maa recalled. “And a sense of dread.” (Swan, 11/25)
ϳԹ News: Immigration Detention Center Contractor Sues Over California Health Inspections
GEO Group, one of the nation’s largest private prison contractors, filed a federal lawsuit last month against California officials to strike down a state law allowing local public health officials to inspect immigration detention facilities. The Florida-based company argued in a filing that California’s law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in August, is unconstitutional because it steps on the federal government’s authority to manage detention centers. By extension, GEO claimed intergovernmental immunity as a contractor. (Sánchez, 11/26)
