Advocacy group petitions hospitals to get rid of McDonald's

McDonald's

(CBS News) McDonald's has provided countless meals for Americans, but an advocacy group wants them out of our nation's medical institutions.

Corporate Accountability International, an organization that fights corporate abuse, is petitioning several U.S. hospitals to get McDonald's restaurants out of their dining areas.

Pizza Hut unveils hot dog stuffed crust pizza
S.F. toy giveaway ban spotlights childhood obesity
McRib return puts sandwich in harsh light

"In your role as a local health leader, you have allowed McDonald's - a corporation that has disregarded public health in the name of profits - to operate within an environment devoted to helping our children get well," the group stated in the letter. "A 2006 study published in Pediatrics concluded that by allowing a McDonald's store to operate inside your facility, you are not just affecting hospital guests' consumption on the day of their visit, but you are unintentionally boosting your guests' perception of the "healthfulness" of McDonald's food. In other words, your hospital is being used as part of McDonald's comprehensive marketing strategy, a strategy that is clearly inconsistent with your goals as a health institution."

Campaign director Sara Deon told USA Today that they are targeting McDonald's because they are the biggest chain and profit the most, but the problem of unhealthy fast food in hospitals isn't just one indicative of the golden arches. A Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine 2011 report that analyzed over 110 hospitals across the country found out that some hospitals had up to five different fast food restaurants and served foods like country fried steak in their cafeterias.

Kaiser Permanente has also called on hospitals to review their dietary offerings. Speaking to Kaiser Heath News (which is not affiliated with the health care company), Kaiser Permanente vice president Kathy Gerwig said that their hospital is making strides toward offering healthier food choices for their staff and patients, something she believes "needs to change" in other hospitals.

The problem is fast food can be comforting to families of patients and patients themselves, NPR pointed out. Even though the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia closed their McDonald's in September 2011, they reopened up the shake service for kids who were patients. Fast food is also a reliable food service for hospital workers, whose schedules have them eating at all hours of the day.

And, McDonald's claims that they don't only serve fatty fries and greasy burgers. "Today, we offer more variety than ever in our menu and we trust that our customers will make the appropriate choices for them, their families and lifestyles," spokesperson for McDonald's Danya Proud told NPR.

Do you think fast food should be removed from hospitals?

[magnumdr]

Why is it always MCdonalds. What about other fast food places, how about pop and doughnuts. Get real people. Live and let live!

[magnumdr]

Why can't people today mind their own buisness. If any person don't like something that another person does in their own personal life just shut up about it and mind your own buisness. Stop trying to make any other person adhere to your way of thinking. "JUST MIND YOUR OWN BUISNESS"!

[SUZAMBA]

If a person wants MickyD's food, then that is their choice. If it offends you, then it's your choice not to eat it.
Have you ever seen or eaten the food served at the hospitals cafeteria?? Talk about unhealthy. And the food served to the patients are horrible. I'd take the MickyD hamburger over the food served.
It all comes down to the choice of the person.
If you don't like it, then don't eat it.

[amerilatino]

During the Mesopotamian and Greco-Roman eras caretakers knew that a diet rich in fresh fruit, vegetables and fish was very helpful in the healing of injuries, sickness and the infirmities of old age. They also knew how to stave off the gangrene produced by horrible wounds with leeches and maggots, a very cheap and simple remedy in a time of almost no scientific discovery. Big Business has been trying to reinvent the wheel for us for the longest time with the only purpose being to turn an ever-bigger profit at the expense of ethics (any old folks out there remember the cigarette commercials portrayed by 'doctors' back in the 40's and 50's?), this includes fast food and healthcare, so don't be surprised by this.

[hypnotoad72]

Fair enough.

We'll quit the food police if you quit supporting the death panels' ability to restrict who gets to love (insurance companies). After all, ask this person:

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/03/26-0

[Bouillabaisse]

So when I visit a friend or relative in the hospital, my eating decision will be made for me by some self-appointed do-gooder who thinks she knows better than I do what I should be eating?

People like that should be publicly ridiculed.

[retiredgustav]

Perhaps you would like to bring back smoking in the hospitals.

[hypnotoad72]

Okay, that's fair...

Don't get mad when I go to your church and set up a booth selling (insert your favored sin of choice). If only the Schullers thought about bringing in ads and small stand revenue instead of demanding their customers pay for increasing costs directly...

Yes, there is at least one ulterior message within the message... but if people aren't used to that by now then I'll just have to make this disclaimer constantly mentioned as well...

[askagain]

So now we have the food police telling us what we can eat. We should have seen this comming when smoking and drinking is banned from many places. It is not that I believe in smoking or drinking, but I recognize a "slippery slope" when I see one. If one thing can be banned, what stops other things from being banned, too? In the case of McDonalds, a legal product is being sold and no one is forced to eat unhealthy. Certain;y, many people would agree that McDonalds is more appealing than the food sold in many hospital cafeterias.

[honestabe8]

no one is telling you what you can or cannot eat. they just want the garbage that mcdonalds sells not to be in hospitals.

[thinkaboutit13]

McDonalds gives millions per year to charities around the world. I guess no good deed goes unpunished.

[honestabe8]

And their food contributes to much ill health

[susan1957-2009]

As a parent and now a grandparent, I always secided when or how often we stopped at McDonalds. It was a TREAT. We had good food at home, but we had ice cream in the freezer and potato chips. They were a TREAT. I do not need or want food police. My kids played outside. They didn't live in front of the TV or video game. How ever, I do not want the Government or some advocacy group telling me what to eat, buy or serve my family. GO AWAY!!!!!!

[hypnotoad72]

Well, so was cotton candy at the circus.

Thanks to that crap being put on scores of shelves in grocery stores, it's inescapable.

That and circuses went out of fashion anyhow...

But why make it a TREAT when it can be had ANYWHERE? So your point of it being a 'treat' cannot be used in context because McD is everywhere and they don't give a rat's wipe about anyone -- not even you. Try to remember that and realize how heartless, soulless, and ironically gutless our country has become.

[jgnv]

As a parent & grandparent, I could agree with you more!! It seems like everytime I turn around there is some advocacy group going after McDonalds for something (banning toys in Happy Meals, really?). As you said, fast food, snacks, sweets, etc....are meant to be a treat to be enjoyed occasionally. As far as serving McDonalds in hospitals, I'm sure employees and visitors alike appreciate the convenience of eating a tastey, low cost meal onsite.

[jmailbox]

Personally speaking, it's not just the fast food industry making meals un-heathly, it's the stress of today environment that is making things worse.

No one i know who has eating reasonable amounts of food from McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's, etc... has had health problems. But most of those people i know don't double-order everything and sit at home.