Calorie counts coming to all D.C. government drink machines

WASHINGTON – All D.C. municipal buildings have been ordered to take part in a program where soda machines will be labeled with calorie counts, The Washington Examiner reports.

The aim is to get District workers to pick healthier drinks, Mayor Vincent Gray reportedly tells News Channel 8.

The American Beverage Association will provide the labels for the machines as part of the Calories Count Vending Program. Each drink machine button will list the calories in the drink.

On a related note, Ward 3 D.C. Councilwoman Mary Cheh wants to see more healthy products in government vending machines. She has proposed that 30 percent of food items be healthy and that 30 percent of drinks be either water or fruit juice, with the percentage rising to 50 percent a year later.

There are 4,000 federal and municipal government vending machines in the District, the Examiner says.

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This story has been modified to correctly reflect the news outlet with which Mayor Gray spoke.

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