As a child, I remember being so excited when a "cool" toy was going to be in my Happy Meal, but I did also grow up overweight and inactive...is that McDonald's fault? Hmmm...I think I had a choice, my parents had a choice and McDonald's had NOTHING to do with those choices...I did NOT eat a Happy Meal based upon the toy, I wanted that greasy stuff with or without the toy and that is why, as a Health teacher, I wanted children to LEARN about healthy foods, so they were educated to make healthy choices when they are eating fast food.
I received this article and thought it was interesting, what do you think?!
McDonald’s is under attack again today! A group called Corporate Accountability International is proposing a resolution to ban Ronald McDonald and other popular kid’s toys from the fast food giant, because they say this type of marketing is what’s making kids obese. http://money.cnn.com/2011/05/18/news/companies/mcdonalds_retire_ronald/index.htm?hpt=T2
The introduction of the resolution is scheduled for today.
Weight loss expert Steve Siebold, author of the book Die Fat or Get Tough; 101 Differences in Thinking Between Fat People and Fit People (www.diefatbook.com), strongly disagrees! Siebold says McDonald’s isn’t to blame, but rather parents of obese children are.
Here are a few of his thoughts:
· It’s not the restaurants, food manufacturers, portion sizes or anything else that is making Americans and children fat. If you’re fat it’s your own fault. If your kids are fat it’s the parents fault.
· Take away Happy Meal toys and Ronald McDonald and obese kids are still going to talk their parents into giving them something else unhealthy. Are we going to ban Halloween next?
· Ronald McDonald and Happy Meal toys are an American institution and the accusations being brought on by this organization are preposterous and a waste of time.
· American’s are free to make their own choices when it comes to what they eat. If they want to eat Happy Meals, drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes or whatever, the fundamental rights of living in this country allow people to make their own choices.
If you don’t know that fast food is bad for you by now than you must be from another planet. What it comes down to is mental toughness and choices. America needs to grow up and make a commitment to lose weight and get healthy once and for all. Targeting McDonald’s is not the answer to the obesity epidemic.
So, what do you think? Should they ban toys from McDonald's? Do you think the toys in the Happy Meals are making children obese?
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6 comments:
Are the marketing to kids? Yes. Ultimately the parents need to be parents and help their children make healthy choices. There's nothing wrong with an occasional trip to the MickeyDs and getting a happy meal. But when its weekly or daily...well thats not Ronald's fault.
Next we can blame our Christmas debt on toy manufacturers....
He is right! This is another way to take away personal responsibility!
I don't think there is anything wrong with having at a toy in a McDonald's meal. Is it great marketing for them? Yes. But ultimately, it is the responsibility of parents to be aware of what they feed their children. My parents took up to McDonalds maybe 3 or 4 times a year and I ALWAYS got a happy meal. The other hundred meals in between though, were healthy.
:)
I think that things like McDonalds and other places like that are icons in our childhood. they were treats to me when I was a child and I think if used in this way i is ok. McDonalds should not be a staple in anyones weekly diet. It also teachers our children moderation and how to make wise food choices as we will not always be able to cook for them.... At least I hope I don't have to do that forever....
I don't see any problem with the toys coming along with the meal:)
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While it's sometimes the toys that are advertised on TV that my 6 yr old is after - my response of "I'll just go through the drive through and buy the toy" does not usually satisfy him. Restaurants have found the perfect combination of fat, sugar, and salt, to addict people into coming back for more. Read the book "The End of Overeating" - it's very enlightening as to the science behind these foods. Taking away the toys is not the solution, people are addicted to the food.
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