San Francisco Bans the Happy Meal
In a veto-proof vote San Francisco's board of supervisors have declared a ban on McDonald's happy meals as they currently exist.
The board argues that including the incentive of a toy with meals that have high calorie and fat percentages reward children for making unhealthy food decisions. After the ordinance takes effect in December of 2011, McDonald's restaurants in San Francisco may only include toys if their children's meals contain less than 600 calories and if less than 35% of the calories come from fat.
Supporters praise this measure as a social change that protects children from disguised negative eating habits. With the childhood obesity and diabetes epidemics soaring, legislation that promotes healthy food decisions at young ages may have a positive impact on the country's health.
However, critics claim that this micro-regulation of the company is out of line with the government's power, and that parents should play the main role of protecting their children from these high-calorie meals.
This ban arrives at the same time that McDonalds reintroduced its infamous McRib sandwich, which not only comes from questionable pork sources but also is extremely unhealthy.
The McRib breakdown:
Like other unhealthy food, when consumed rarely and in small quantities Happy Meals and McRib sandwiches may be an acceptable treat. However, it is the way that McDonalds rewards children for choosing this option and the energetic cult following of the McRib sandwich (the result of highly effective marketing) that worries health advocates.
Time will tell if San Francisco's initiative to stop supporting such processed, fat-heavy food will spread to the rest of the country.