NICOLAS, Joliene Leonara M.

BSLM - 2A

BAE101R W&F (1:30-3PM)

Mcdonalds and Obesity

McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of fast food restaurants serving nearly 47 million customers daily through more than 31,000 restaurants in 119 countries worldwide. McDonalds sells various fast food items and softdrinks including, burgers, chicken, salads, fries, and ice cream. Many McDonald's restaurants have included a playground for children and advertising geared toward children, and some have been redesigned in a more 'natural' style with a particular emphasis on comfort: introducing lounge areas and fireplaces and eliminating hard plastic chairs and tables. Governments and inuential health advocates around the world, spooked that their nations kids will become as fat as American kids, are cracking down on the marketers they blame for the explosion in childhood obesity. Across the globe, efforts are under way to slow the march of obesity. The nutritional content of fast food--high in fat, sugar, and calories--is linked to weight gain and consequent health problems. McDonalds bears the brunt of criticism because, McDonalds is a powerful multinational corporation and the fast food industry leader, McDs has more than 31,000 restaurants in 119 countries, McDs feeds more than 46 million customers per day and McDs employs more than 1.5 million people. There are organizations, associations, government agencies, consumer groups, activists, bloggers, etc. critical of McDonalds on the issue of health and nutrition . McDonalds sued two protestors for allegedly libelous statements mad e in a pamphlet, Whats Wrong with McDonalds; PR disaster that made McDonalds look like a bully, built the media agenda on issues unfavorable to McDonalds , appellate court ruled that the defendants were justified in claiming that regular customers of McDonalds did face a heightened risk of heart trouble, pamphlet later reproduced on

the Internet to massive international audience. Court case cost McDonalds over a million dollars and provided the material for a full length documentary released in 2005, McLibel A group of obese teenagers who ate at McDonalds 3 -5 times per week sued McDonalds for causing their weight problems. They alleged that McDonalds

advertising and promotional representations create a false impression that its food products are part of a healthy lifestyle and that McDonalds said it would have nutritional information available to customers but it wasnt. The court ruled in favor of McDonalds but the resulting press coverage put the issue once again in the forefront. This case was what gave Spurlock the idea for Super Size Me. 2002 first time McDonalds posted a quarter loss in its history. McDonalds must adopt strategic communication responses to those who disapprove of what they see as McDonalds role in promoting obesity and health problems. McDs has avoided dialogical, or two-way, communication with critics. McDs declined invitation to appear with Schlosser on NBCs Today Show and instead sent a statement of facts and told them to visit the web site. McDs insists it did nothing in response to the film Super Size Me and has stated it had no need to plan proactively for the release of the film Fast Food Nation. These responses didnt help but instead made things a lot worse. So McDs created a blog which Contains section Engaging in the Global Obesity Dialogue and Allows feedback and discussion. They also added more menu choices, provided nutrition education and supported physical activity. McDonalds has done an excellent job of remaining calm and patient . However, McDonalds has not shown a sense of humor in the face of targeted criticisms . The main question facing McDonalds is whether they can continue their world dominance in the fast food industry by promoting active, healthy lifestyles when their mainstay products continue to be linked to obesity and related health problems.

McDonalds has done a laudable job in marketing the concept of consumer choice and in establishing a generous corporate social responsibility program. However, in the U.S. at least, McDonalds has not reduced advertising to children, reformulated its trans fat cooking oil, or lowered fat, salt, and/or calorie counts on its core products. Rather than diminishing, the issue of health and nutrition continues to escalate and McDonalds remains a key target in 2006. We can see that McDs may have tried to change its nutrition value on their food; McDs is still and continuously slowly changing the worlds diet.