Raleigh, N.C. – There is widespread opposition among Republicans and Democrats to policies banning juice boxes and whole milk in day care centers, according to a new poll released today by the Civitas Institute.
According to the live caller poll of 600 likely voters, 62 percent of voters said they oppose the policy banning juice boxes in day care centers because it is argued that the drinks contribute to childhood obesity. Twenty-eight percent of voters said they support it, and 11 percent said they are not sure. Additionally, 74 percent of voters said they oppose banning whole milk or chocolate milk from being served in child care centers. Twenty percent of voters said they support the policy, and 6 percent said they are not sure.
“This is yet another example of the overreaching hand of government intruding into the daily lives of North Carolina citizens and their children,” said Civitas Institute Senior Legislative Analyst Chris Hayes. “Voters clearly recognize that these decisions should be made by parents, not by bureaucrats.”
Republicans oppose the juice box ban by a 65-26 percent margin. Democratic opposition is similar at 59-29 percent, and many unaffiliated voters also oppose the measure (63 percent-28 percent). Opposition among the parties increases when asked whether they support or oppose banning whole and chocolate milk in day care centers. A majority of Republican (77 percent-20 percent) and Democratic voters (71 percent-22 percent) oppose the policy, while unaffiliated voters also disapprove (74 percent-18 percent).
“Even with widespread opposition to this proposal, the General Assembly pushed this legislation onto the citizens. It just shows how out of touch with reality many members of the General Assembly are,” added Hayes.
House Bill 1726, “Improve Child Care Nutrition,” was signed into law by Gov. Perdue on July 20, 2010 after two years of study by a General Assembly task force researching childhood obesity. The legislation prohibits any sugar-sweetened drinks such as Kool-Aid, caps daily juice amounts to six ounces, requires that all juices be served in cups instead of bottles and bans serving whole milk to children over age 2.
The Civitas Poll is the only monthly live-caller poll of critical issues facing North Carolina. For more information on Civitas polling see www.nccivitas.org/media/poll-results/.
Full text of question:
Do you support or oppose banning juice boxes in day care centers because it is argued that it contributes to childhood obesity?
Strongly support – 15%
Somewhat support – 13%
Somewhat oppose – 22%
Strongly oppose – 40%
Not sure – 11%
SUPPORT – 28%
OPPOSE – 62%
Do you support or oppose banning whole milk or chocolate milk from being served in day care centers?
Strongly support – 11%
Somewhat support – 9%
Somewhat oppose – 22%
Strongly oppose – 52%
Not sure – 6%
SUPPORT – 20%
OPPOSE – 74%
Click here for full results and crosstabs.
This poll of 600 likely general election voters in North Carolina was conducted July 19-21, 2010 by Tel Opinion Research of Alexandria, Virginia. All respondents were part of a fully representative sample of registered voters in North Carolina. For purposes of this study, voters we interviewed had to have voted in either the 2004, 2006 or 2008 general elections or were newly registered voters since 2008.
The confidence interval associated with a sample of this size is such that: 95 percent of the time, results from 600 interviews (registered voters) will be within +-4% of the “True Values.” True Values refer to the results obtained if it were possible to interview every person in North Carolina who had voted in either the 2004, 2006 or 2008 general elections or were newly registered voters since 2008.
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