By Kevin McCauley
More than 500 healthcare pros and medical institutions signed a letter to McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner asking him to stop marketing "junk food" to children in an effort to combat the "staggering" rates of obesity and diabetes among the nation's young.
The letter appeared today as a full-page ad in the company's hometown Chicago Sun-Times, New York Metro, Boston Metro, San Francisco Examiner, Minneapolis City Pages and Baltimore City Paper.
The ad's full-text at LettertoMcDonalds.org contends that the dramatic rise in sickness "mirrors the growth of your business -- growth driven in large part by children's marketing."
It zeroes in on corporate mascot Ronald McDonald and other promotions "to appeal to kids in environments that informed parents and health professionals can't constantly monitor—from schools to libraries to the Internet."
Ronald is an "icon as recognized as Santa Claus, and the McDonald's model of marketing is used by a range of abusive industries," says the group.
Skinner is asked to retire marketing to children for food high in salt, fat, sugar and calories, as well as Ronald and toy giveaways.
McDonald's says it's concerned with health issues and that it takes its "communications children very seriously." It is committed to being part of a dialog on children's health and nutrition. The fast-feeder also says parents have told it that "they appreciate our Happy Meal choices."
GolinHarris represents McDonald's.
Corporate Accountability organized the ad campaign that received signatures from organizations such as the Massachusetts Public Health Assn., American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Illinois Maternal & Child Health Coalition and Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
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