New York City is asking the question: would banning toys in Happy Meals help fight childhood obesity?
I'm Lovin' It?
Banning toy giveaways at places like McDonald's would greatly reduce the allure of fast food restaurants for children and encourage the fast-food industry to provide healthier options. That's according to New York City Council Deputy Majority Leader Leroy Comrie (D).
"While I recognize that ensuring children have access to, and eat more, nutritious meals is ultimately the responsibility of their caretakers, the City Council can empower parents by making it harder for the fast food industry to target children with predatory marketing techniques," he said in a statement.
Ban On The Books
The ban would prohibit distribution of toys with any meal that has more than 500 calories, 600 milligrams of sodium, and 35 percent of calories from fat. If passed, the ban would become law by 2012.
Last November, San Francisco placed a ban on toys in fast food meals. Their law is supposed to go into effect on December 1 of this year.
"We are not trying to hurt anyone's bottom line," Comrie said. "We are trying to help people's bottoms."