ICYMI: Former NY Health Commish Mary Bassett Urges Albany to Pass Food Policy Reform on The Brian Lehrer Show

ALBANY, NY (04/14/2026) (readMedia)-- Today, on the Brian Lehrer Show, former New York State and New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett endorsed a crucial slate of food safety reform designed to limit youth-targeted predatory marketing and strengthen menu transparency statewide: the Sodium Warning Bill (S428 Rivera/A5207 Reyes), Sweet Truth Act (S427 Rivera/A5305 Reyes), and Predatory Marketing Prevention Act aka PMPA (S397 Myrie/A2584 Reyes). Yesterday, Dr. Bassett sent a letter urging members of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus to pass the bills as a tool to promote health equity and protect children and families navigating an unsafe food environment.

Listen to the full segment here and view the full letter below.

Together, the legislation aims to enhance food safety through the following measures:

• Predatory Marketing Prevention Act would restrict misleading targeted food and beverage marketing aimed at children and adolescents
• Sodium Warning Bill would require clear sodium warning icons on chain restaurant menus to ensure transparency and help consumers make informed choices
• Sweet Truth Act would require clear added-sugar warning icons on chain restaurant menus, and extend the protections from NYC's existing Sweet Truth Act to families statewide

The bills continue to advance through the Legislature. In the Assembly, the Sodium Warning Bill has advanced the furthest and is now awaiting a floor vote. The Predatory Marketing Prevention Act is currently in the Consumer Affairs Committee, and the Sweet Truth Act is in the Health Committee. In the Senate, the Sweet Truth Act has been reported to the Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business Committee, the Sodium Warning Bill has been reported to the Finance Committee, and the Predatory Marketing Prevention Act awaits a vote in the Senate Agriculture Committee.

More than 1.7 million adults in New York live with diabetes, representing over 10% of the adult population. Data from the NYC Department of Health also shows that Black, Latino, and Asian New Yorkers are about twice as likely to have diabetes as white New Yorkers - a disparity linked to the disproportionate concentration of unhealthy food outlets, and targeted marketing of high-salt and high-sugar products within communities of color. At a time when federal food safety gaps leave families of color increasingly vulnerable, Dr. Bassett emphasizes that strengthening food marketing regulation and extending menu warning labels statewide can lower healthcare costs for New Yorkers and help address racial health gaps.

In the letter, Dr. Bassett states: "As a physician with expertise in health equity, I have seen firsthand how access to proper nutrition is foundational to community health outcomes. As state leaders confront escalating rates of diet-related chronic disease and a weakened federal food safety net, these bills offer practical tools to empower families and improve transparency in the marketplace."

"At a time of rising food insecurity and significant federal retrenchment in public health and nutrition programs, voluntary industry measures are insufficient. The health and future of New York's children and families-particularly those in communities long burdened by inequitable food environments-depends on decisive state leadership in this moment. I'm urging state lawmakers to pass this reform package during the current legislative session," said Dr. Mary Bassett, former Commissioner, NYS Department of Health and NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Letter

April 13, 2026

To the members of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus,

As former Commissioner of both the New York State Department of Health, and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, I write today to urge the passage of the Sodium Warning Bill (S428 Rivera/A5207 Reyes), Sweet Truth Act (S427 Rivera/A5305 Reyes), and Predatory Marketing Prevention Act (S397 Myrie/A2584 Reyes). Together, these measures represent critical, evidence-based nutrition reforms that would strengthen protections for children and families across New York.

Across the state, the communities you represent continue to bear disproportionate burdens of diet-related disease. These inequities are shaped by longstanding barriers to accessing nutritious food, concentrated exposure to unhealthy food environments, and the rising cost of healthcare. As state leaders confront escalating rates of diet-related chronic disease and a weakened federal food safety net, these bills offer practical tools to empower families and improve transparency in the marketplace.

As a physician with expertise in health equity, I have seen firsthand how access to proper nutrition is foundational to community health outcomes. An increasingly unhealthy food supply-characterized by products high in sodium and added sugars-continues to fuel preventable disease. Heart disease and stroke account for more than 25% of all deaths nationwide and more than 1.7 million New Yorkers-over 10% of the adult population-live with diabetes. Data from the NYC Department of Health show that Black, Latino, and Asian New Yorkers are about twice as likely to have diabetes as white New Yorkers. These disparities are not coincidental. They reflect decades of policy failure that have allowed excessive sodium and sugar in the food supply, predatory marketing practices, and insufficient transparency to persist.

The current food environment makes legislative action urgent. The Sodium Warning Bill and Sweet Truth Act would require clear warning labels for high-sodium and high-added sugar items at chain restaurants, equipping families with accessible information at the point of purchase. The Predatory Marketing Prevention Act would empower the State Attorney General to address deceptive, youth-targeted marketing campaigns and hold companies accountable.

Families of color often face a disproportionate concentration of unhealthy food outlets, alongside aggressive marketing of high-salt and high-sugar products. From early childhood-when lifelong eating patterns are formed-food and beverage companies heavily target children of color with billions in fast-food advertising. While children across demographic groups see an average of 2.3 fast food TV ads per day, Black children are exposed to 75% more fast food ads than white children. These marketing patterns only reinforce unhealthy consumption and widen health disparities.

At the same time, nutrition information remains opaque in many restaurant settings. New Yorkers eat out 130% more than other Americans and fast-food restaurants routinely exceed the FDA's daily recommendations of 50 grams of added sugar and 2,300 milligrams of sodium. Without clear labeling, families are left to make decisions without meaningful information. The resulting health consequences are substantial: obesity-related care costs New York approximately $5.2 billion annually, while hypertension and diabetes account for tens of billions more in health care expenditures. These costs fall most heavily on communities already facing economic inequities.

There is strong evidence supporting this policy approach. Research demonstrates that targeted advertising influences children's dietary preferences and consumption patterns, increasing intake of sodium and added sugars and elevating long-term health risks. Clear warning labels and marketing restrictions are proven public health strategies that improve transparency and support healthier decision-making.

New York City has already demonstrated public demand for transparency. Nearly 80% of New Yorkers support warning labels for menu items high in added sugars, and the City Council passed the Sweet Truth Act in 2023 in response to that support. Extending these protections statewide would ensure that all families-not just those in New York City-benefit from consistent, evidence-based safeguards.

At a time of rising food insecurity and significant federal retrenchment in public health and nutrition programs, New York must lead. Voluntary industry measures are insufficient. These bills provide actionable, state-level tools to reduce chronic disease, address health inequities, and strengthen consumer protections.

I urge you to pass this reform package during the current legislative session. The health and future of New York's children and families-particularly those in communities long burdened by inequitable food environments-depend on decisive state leadership.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mary Bassett, former Commissioner, New York State Department of Health and NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene

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