Michelle Obama applauds Bloomberg’s large soda ban

First Lady Michelle Obama is on a roll.

First, she joined Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger to announce that the company will stop accepting some junk food advertisements on TV, radio and online programs aimed at kids.

Then, the first lady offered her support to Mayor Michael Bloomberg for his proposed ban on sugary drinks in servings larger than 16 ounces. In an interview with the Associated Press today, the first lady, who focuses the power of her office to fight against childhood obesity, said that while she doesn’t support a ban of its kind at the federal level, she “applauds anyone who’s stepping up to think about what changes work in their communities,” and used New York as an example.

The mayor’s proposal would ban sales of sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces in most restaurants, movie theaters, bodegas and food carts in an effort to cut back on New York’s obesity rate.

Other prominent names, both locally and nationally, have thrown their support behind the proposed ban.

“As usual Mayor Bloomberg is taking strong, decisive action to meet one of our nation’s most serious challenges – obesity and the damage it is doing to our children,” Former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell said in a statement. “He is breaking new ground in what will serve as a test case for cities throughout America.”

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer also praised the mayor for the bold plan, saying “If public health is our goal and obesity our enemy, we must be creative and aggressive to fight and win this war.”

“That’s why I commend Mayor Bloomberg for drawing a line in the sand and taking on the soda cartel which is driving the obesity epidemic in this country,” he added.