McDonalds Advertising On Report Cards - Get Good Grades - Get a Happy Meal!
About 20 million children in the United States qualify as overweight or clinically obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and now 37 schools in Seminole County, Fla. are contributing to it through a corporate-sponsorship program that awards high-achieving students with
McDonald Happy Meals.
The "report card incentive," as the program is known, is explained on the front of specially produced envelopes bearing the image of Ronald McDonald and in which the report cards for every student in the county's 37 elementary schools are sent home.
The incentives are described as "food prizes," and a report card of all A's and B's or an attendance record blemished by just two absences is enough to earn a student a free Happy Meal.
sourceJohn Banzhaf III, a law professor George Washington University says
The next thing the school should offer is cigarettes and alcohol. … Why aren't schools selling Hustler or Playboy magazines out of vending machines too? Schools shouldn't be selling things that endanger children just to make a buck.
The Campaign For a Commercial-Free Childhood released a
press release demanding that McDonalds immediatly stop advertising on children's report cards
this promotion takes in-school marketing to a new low. It bypasses parents and targets children directly with the message that doing well in school should be rewarded by a happy meal
says Susan Linn, the director of CCFC and psychologist at Judge Baker Children's Center.
the press release states the Happy Meal promotion explicitly mentions cheeseburgers, French fries, and soft drinks as options. Happy Meals featured on the report card can contain as many 710 calories, 28 grams of fat, or 35 grams of sugar.
one parent was quoted as saying that her daughter worked so hard to get good grades and now thinks she has earned a happy meal. The parent has to be the "bad guy" and explain that McDonalds is not the kind of food that they eat.
what is happening in our schools?
Labels: childhood obesity, kids, mcdonalds
Fit Bastard Rant About Children and Obesity
My friend Scott Tousignant went on a rant in his video about the
Childhood Obesity epidemic broadcasting live from his 5 year old son's bedroom.
Being a role model for your children is so important.
From his blog, Scott begins with this:
"The statistics are now showing that 30% of children are overweight and obese. This is sick!
The crazy thing is that I’m sure there is a large majority of children that are on the borderline of falling into this category.
My family and I were at a camp ground last weekend and I am not exagerating when I say that 90% of the children there were overweight. It was really sad and very upsetting to see so many unhealthy kids and to think of what kind of future they are going to have."
Yep. It starts in childhood and then ends up where a major city like Calgary has to buy a
specially equipped ambulance for obese patients.
According to The Center For Health and Health Care in Schools, the George Washington University Medical Center (March 2005)
"The rapid increase in overweight among children and adolescents is generating widespread concern. Since the 1970s, the prevalence of overweight among children has more than doubled for preschoolers ages 2-5 and adolescents ages 12-19, and it has more than tripled for children 6-11 years.1 Nearly one-third of children and adolescents, of both sexes, aged 6-19 years (31.0%) are considered to be either at risk for overweight or overweight. cite"
My belief is that it's partly due to inactivity and partly due to the increase in refined carbohydrates such as non nutritional breakfast cereals, the deadly low fat craze and the childrens possible lack of eating.. including breakfast.
My Ex-Stepdaughter is in this same category. She's trying to lose weight, or at least not gain weight, by not eating. She and I have discussed this, but peer pressure is stronger than quality advice. I've told her to eat breakfast, increase her protein meals and eat more meals per day. However, her peer guidance about eating less, and not eating is more powerful. Unfortunately, she's gained weight and continues to eat less as a result, adding further pounds to her frame. Her mother is not much of a role model, snacking on low fat, high carbohydrate snacks late at night. Another no-no.
We model what we see. All the more reason to be a good role model for your children. Learn, apply and be a role model.
Do something every single day in regards to exercise.
10000 steps a day is a good place to start.
Watch Scott's healthy video rant "
Your Unhealthy Habits Are Killing Your Kids" and then leave your comments about it on his blog.
Scott and his wife promote healthy family principles. Him, his wife and children are all quite active and blog about it.
Labels: childhood obesity, obesity
