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McDonald’s tries to blame video games for obesity

wohoo | January 08, 2008 | News | Company 
In an article about the company's contribution to rising obesity, the chief executive officer of McDonald's UK is attempting to shift blame of childhood obesity to video games by saying children need to get out and exercise.
While exercise is surely beneficial to ones health, it sounds to me like McDonald’s is trying to jump on the video game haters bandwagon by saying this. Understandably McDonald’s has a big business to protect and the suits need to deflect some of the blame to somewhere else.
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  • 5 thumbs!
    Play ISDF | January 09, 2008
    *bleep* you McDonald's. It's bad enough you had to get in a shitload of trouble to understand that people want healthier fast food, and even then you only went that way for cash really, but then to say "Hey we aren't at fault, look at video games. They are the evil evil reason behind fat kids" is just sad. I knew McDonald's could be silly at times but this is just beyond stupid. This video game scapegoat move is just getting old, especially when it's mostly the consumer's fault for being an idiot.

    I'm starting to wonder if there needs to be a series of "The Biggest Loser" gyms with trainers all over the world. That show seems to help people unlike so many other things. Don't really watch it though.
  • 3 thumbs!
    Seeker X | January 09, 2008
    Cmon, how much credibility does this shit have?

    McD's underpays and overworks their employees to death, they try to pass their make-believe salads as healthy food, and give you nutritional facts as to not freak you out...which..you can't blame people...cuz everything they cook is filled with excessive amounts of grease.

    Who in their right mind would believe this crap is beyond me.
  • 3 thumbs!
    StarJet | January 09, 2008
    this is sick. i will not eat at mcdonalds from here onwards as a mark of protest.
    • 1 thumbs!
      Bri | January 09, 2008
      You should have said that AFTER watching Super-Size Me. I watched that in 2005, haven't eaten there since. I lost 25 pounds and I now eat fruit and vegetables, and my God, I didn't "DIE"!

      McDonald's uses preservatives in all their foods, that's reason ALONE to avoid absolutely anything that they serve, because you're putting rhymitol, gelatin, things Toyota uses to make car paint, they got in your burger, if you don't agree with me, watch Super-Size me, they prove everything I say and much, much more.

      Kids DO need to exercise but should not ignore games completely if they have fun with them. A balance of both is what they should be aiming for, and a healthy diet is key.
      • 1 thumbs!
        Storm | January 09, 2008
        Well said, Bri. Super Size Me did put me off of McDonald's for a while, but I do check-in here and there to pick up their apple pies. xD

        It's as you said, kids need balance in activities, and that should be enforced by the parents. A recent study shows that parents don't mind their children being obese as they believe the kids will "grow into it," as in their weight magically fixing in with their height.

        Meh...McDonald's, please know your position before saying something ridiculous.
        • -1 thumbs!
          StarJet | January 09, 2008
          quote
          things Toyota uses to make car paint,
          LOL
          Forgive my ignorance, but what is Super Size Me?
      • 1 thumbs!
        BANDITO ATTACK | January 09, 2008
        i eat that shit all the time and weigh 125lbs. do i gotta stop eating it too
  • 0 thumbs!
    exkillerxe | January 09, 2008
    I almost fell off my seat reading that!
  • 0 thumbs!
    exkillerxe | January 09, 2008
    I almost fell off my seat laughing after reading that!!BTW sorry about the Double Post.
  • 0 thumbs!
    Play ISDF | January 09, 2008
    starjet905, Super Size Me is a documentary of sorts. A guy does nothing but eat McDonald's for a month. It shows just how bad regular fat food is and also investigates some points of view from different people. He also keeps a tally of just how many times he was asked to up size his meal, hence the name really.
  • 1 thumbs!
    Catboy14 | January 09, 2008
    It's awesome BTW, yet also disgusting. On the DVD, there was an experiment to see how long Mcfries, some Mcburgers, and some regular fries and burgers would last. The Mcfries lasted for weeks in a non-airtight container and still tasted fresh.

    But still, McDonalds is a big business, so money is more important to them than everybody getting fat and unhealthy. It's also people's fault though for eating it.

    Everything in moderation.
  • 0 thumbs!
    kik36 | January 09, 2008
    WOW!!! Will ignorance never cease......I will say one thing about McDonald's though......as much as the current policy seems to be snatching everyone's money, Joan Kroc donated to children's and local charities, as well as national charities very, very frequently and created many great programs for kids, and many other insanely huge donations in her will. She became a legend in the San Diego area. I don't think anyone at the McDonald's corp has the same tenacity for goodwill that she had.
  • 1 thumbs!
    MusiKon | January 09, 2008
    What I find funny and ironic, which probably no one else noticed, is that not only do they humbly agree with various game companies to sell their toys with McD's Happy Meals, but also humbly agreed on the deal with Nintendo for using their restaurants as free hotspots for online play with the Nintendo DS.

    So essentially, when they're pointing the finger at video games, they're pointing the fingers at themselves as well. Smooth move.
    • 0 thumbs!
      black doom | January 09, 2008
      Wait... that means I can walk in and play DS without buying food, a drink at most.
      • 1 thumbs!
        MusiKon | January 09, 2008
        Yes you can. A while ago, when Jump Ultimate Stars came out, me and a couple of friends stopped in the McD's every now and then, got a drink usually, and played the game online. As long as we didn't cause a disturbance, they didn't care less what we did lol.
  • 0 thumbs!
    Blackfalcon | January 09, 2008
    That's ridiculous. Trust McDonalds to try and weasel out of the pain they're causing.
  • 2 thumbs!
    BANDITO ATTACK | January 09, 2008
    i could never talk shit about the guys that came up with the big mac.
  • 2 thumbs!
    Jaw Knee | January 09, 2008
    This is the most hilarious, hypocritical and contradictory statement I have EVER heard.
  • 0 thumbs!
    moltenblade07 | January 10, 2008
    In the past, didn't Mc'Donalds even give kids free toys with their happy meals so basically all they're doing is indirectly blaming themselves
    • 0 thumbs!
      Blackfalcon | January 18, 2008
      Lol! Stupid McDonalds!
      Why must their food taste so good???

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