Chicago, IL, United States (AHN) – More than 550 health professionals and activists from across the country have challenged McDonald’s to stop marketing junk food to kids.
Currently the fast food retailer uses a proven marketing campaign that makes parents virtually powerless over the allure of their products and brand images.
The group Corporate Accountability International also is seeking to retire the company’s iconic corporate symbol Ronald McDonald. The clown character who wears oversized red shoes and yellow rompers adorned with the restaurant chain’s “Golden Arches” logo — for decades has been used by McDonald’s as a kid-friendly corporate spokesman.
The open to letter to the company’s CEO found at lettertomcdonalds.org comes just weeks after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed sweeping new guidelines on junk food marketing to kids.
Wednesday’s move comes a day before McDonald’s annual shareholders’ meeting. During the meeting a resolution calling on the corporation to assess its impact on public health will be voted on.
“Today, our family practice offices, pediatric clinics, and emergency rooms are filled with children suffering from conditions related to the food they eat. These health problems will likely play out over their lifetime through early onset of diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.” said Dr. Steven K. Rothschild, Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine at Rush Medical College. “Through this initiative the public health community is rallying behind a simple message to McDonald’s: stop making the next generation sick – retire Ronald and the rest of your junk food marketing to kids.”
A range of leading health institutions from the Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry have endorsed the letter featured in today’s ads.
The full-page ads can be seen appearing in the Chicago Sun-Times, New York Metro, Boston Metro, San Francisco Examiner, Minneapolis City Pages and Baltimore City Paper urge still more individuals and institutions to sign the open letter and share it with their peers. The ads have sparked debates on morning talk shows and around water coolers.
“This initiative has struck a chord, particularly among health professionals who work in the communities most targeted and impacted by McDonald’s marketing,” said Esther Sciammarella, Executive Director of the Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition. “Children in these communities are not as healthy. Access to healthy food is limited. There is less nutrition education. But we do have more of one thing: McDonald’s junk food and junk food marketing. It’s time that changed.”
In response to the letter McDonald issued a statement:
McDonald’s cares about kids. We are committed to responsible advertising and take our communications to children very seriously.
We understand the importance of children’s health and nutrition, and are committed to being part of the dialogue and solution.
We serve high quality food, and our Happy Meals offer choice and variety in portions just for kids. Parents tell us they appreciate our Happy Meal choices.
As the face of Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ronald is an ambassador for good and delivers important messages to kids on safety, literacy and balanced, active lifestyles.
Researchers say that an increasing amount of studies from the Institutes of Medicine to the National Bureau of Economic Research show that reducing junk food marketing to kids could spare the health of millions of children.
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