http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43011-2005Jan27.html
Let see...
If you do 10 push-ups, you will be rewarded with a Quarter Pounder and
15 pushs-up will get you a Big Mac.
Run the mile in 8 minutes... Double Big Mac.
McDonald's Makes Ronald a Health Ambassador
Criticized Company Will Use Character to Push Fitness in Schools
By Caroline E. Mayer
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 28, 2005; Page E01
McDonald's Corp., known for its Big Macs and fries, is sending its
flame-headed mascot, Ronald McDonald, into elementary schools to push
fitness -- part of a corporate campaign to address the childhood
obesity issue.
Ronald, the company's newly dubbed "chief happiness officer," has
become the company's "ambassador for an active, balanced lifestyle,"
McDonald's Chief Creative Officer Marlena Peleo-Lazar told a
government panel yesterday. Her announcement came the same week an
appeals court reinstated a lawsuit against McDonald's in which two New
York teenagers claim they got fat because the company hid the health
risks of its food.
Under criticism for its fattening burgers and fries, McDonald's is
making its mascot a fitness advocate. (Pr Newsfoto)
_____Obesity_____
• Fidgeting Helps Separate the Lean From the Obese, Study Finds (The
Washington Post, Jan 28, 2005)
• Brazil Newspaper Slams NY Times Over Obesity Story (Reuters, Jan 27, 2005)
• Part of McDonald's Obesity Suit Revived (Reuters, Jan 25, 2005)
• Study: Obesity May Hinder Cancer Screening (Associated Press, Jan 24, 2005)
• Maradona Leaves Mental Home, to Tackle Overweight (Reuters, Jan 21, 2005)
• More Stories
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Other major food companies also are promoting fitness in schools. Last
fall, PepsiCo Inc. sent fitness educational materials to elementary
schools, reaching 3 million students. In March, the beverage and
snack-food company will send another round, this time to all 15,000
middle schools in the country.
These educational programs were discussed at a day-long workshop
sponsored by the Institute of Medicine, which Congress directed to
study the impact of food marketing on childhood obesity and healthful
eating.
The study comes as a growing number of health care professionals and
consumer activists are calling for more government oversight of food
advertising because the number of obese children has more than doubled
in the past 30 years.
Several major food companies are responding to the concerns by
reformulating many of their food products and developing or adding new
ones to offer more healthful alternatives, such as reduced-sugar
cereal. McDonald's, for example, has added milk and apples to its
kids' menu. Meanwhile, Kraft announced earlier this month that it will
curb advertising of many of its snack foods to children under 12.
The food industry is seeking legislation to block lawsuits, such as
the one just reinstated against McDonald's. The Virginia House of
Delegates did just that yesterday, strengthening existing law by
approving a bill saying state residents can't blame their weight gain
on food companies.
In the past, the Ronald McDonald character has visited schools to
teach about such issues as bike safety and literacy. Now the clown
will be touting physical activity. No burgers or fries will be
promoted. "Ronald does not promote food, but fun and activity -- the
McDonald's experience," said company spokesman Walt Riker.
The campaign was criticized by Harvard psychologist Susan Linn, author
of "Consuming Kids."
"It's just another marketing ploy for McDonald's," she said. "It has
no place in the school. The amount of exercise it will take to
exercise off everything these kids consume will take all day."
The program has been reviewed and approved by the American Academy of
Pediatrics. "We're not endorsing McDonald's or Ronald McDonald, but
wanted to make sure the message was safe and appropriate," said
Reginald L. Washington, co-chairman of the academy's task force on
obesity. The program, he said, "takes advantage of the fact that
Ronald McDonald has such recognition with kids that if he tells them
to get moving, maybe they will do it."
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