Only News Photos Video/Audio NEW YORK USING "GREEN CARTS" IN LATEST OBESITY FIGHT _ 41 minutes ago_ NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City will issue 1,000 new permits for mobile fruit and vegetable stands in its latest drive against obesity and unhealthiness among its residents.The City Council voted on Wednesday to issue the new permits for low-ie neighborhoods, saying a scarcity of fresh produce has led to high rates of obesity and other health problems.City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said underserved New Yorkers would have better access to fresh produce as early as this spring.In our city where obesity and diabetes continues to skyrocket are the samemunities that lack even the most basic access to fresh fruits and vegetables," Quinn said.The United States biggest city has taken the lead on pushing for healthier habits.Banned artery-clogging trans-fats from city restaurants in 2006, outlawed smoking in bars and restaurants in 2003, and will soon force fast-food chains to display calorie counts on their menu boards.There are more than 4,000 permits for so-called green carts in New York and the stands are amon sight in wealthy Manhattan.But low-ie New Yorkers are left with little choice but to buy unhealthy "convenience" foods, most of which are packaged and processed, supporters of the bill said.John Liu said the bill was bad policy."If people wanted this produce, the stores would be selling them and there would be vending carts on the street," he said.The bill had been scaled back after supermarket and store owners voiced opposition.More than half of New York adults are overweight or obese and an estimated 700,000 New Yorkers suffer from diabetes, the health department said.While the rate of obesity is below 15 percent in much of Manhattan, rates in less affluent neighborhoods, including Harlem, South Bronx and Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, are over 27 percent.(Reporting by Edith Honan, editing by Michelle Nichols and Stuart Grudgings) Yahoo!RMEND THIS STORY Rmend It: Not at All Somewhat Moderately Highly Very Highly Average (Not Rated) _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _Reuters_ _ CNN - Wed Feb 27, 11:16 AM ET_ _ ABC News - Wed Feb 27, 2:02 PM ET_ _ CNN - Wed Feb 27, 9:01 AM ET_ _ FOX News - Wed Feb 27, 3:06 PM ET_ Health Video Elsewhere On The Web ABC NEWS: CNN: TIME: From Y!Find answers on Yahoo!Add Headlines To Your Personalized My Yahoo!Weight Loss News NEWS ALERTS __ Get an alert when there are new stories about: Councilman John Liu New York New York City - - SEARCH: All News Yahoo!Only News Photos Video/Audio PRIMARY NAVIGATION Copyright 2008 Reuters Limited.Reserved.Read more Aspirin resistance and diabetes mellitus
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